Students share preparation process for 68th Annual Brazos County Youth Livestock Show

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The 68th Annual Brazos County Youth Livestock Show is underway, and students are gearing up to show off their hard work.

Several have spent months training animals and working on agriculture-focused projects in hopes of earning prizes and scholarship money.

Kennan Kutzenberger showed a goat Tuesday and is preparing to show three steers Thursday.

One steer Kutzenberger has been working with is named Biscuit. It’s 2 years old and has been training for about 10 months.

“In the mornings, I work with him for about an hour before school and then right when I get off from school, I’m with him about another two hours just exercising him, getting him used to me and just getting their feet out and hair taken care of,” Kutzenberger said.

It can be nerve-wracking getting new animals, but it’s fun getting to know the animals over time, according to Kutzenberger.

Lea Cammack is showing a steer Thursday and two pigs Wednesday.

The pigs names are Joe and Calvin. Cammack describes Joe as playful and Calvin as sassy.

She’s been working with both for several months and said skin and hair play a big role in how they’re judged.

“You wash them all the time, brush them, put things on them but also making sure their muscles are good,” Cammack said. “You have to maintain their weight. We have to make sure their feed schedule goes with that.”

Brady McCleary is also showing pigs and steers.

McCleary got the pigs in September 2023.

“When you get them, they’re not broke to walk,” McCleary said. “They don’t know how to walk, so you got to teach them how to walk with a whip and it’s a process where you just got to be gentle with them and be patient.

McCleary is a sophomore and said participating in the livestock show means a lot because it’ll be easier for him to attend college.

Carter Noynaert is a senior and said the scholarship dollars from showing animals and projects will go a long way as he prepares to attend Texas A&M; in the fall.

He’ll be showing his steer named Ice Man Thursday. Ice Man is about 1,300 Ibs. and has been training with Noynaert for 10 months.

Noynaert said he’s had a lot of help coming up with a feeding schedule for Ice Man.

“You have to put in the work to have a champion steer,” Noynaert said. “They don’t just grow on their own. You have to make them.”

The Brazos County Youth Livestock Show runs until Saturday, which is when the premium auction happens.

The full schedule can be found here.