ROME TOWNSHIP - Eighteen-year-old Brandee Rigney has been involved in 4-H since she was little.

Although she may have felt sad that this is her last year, Rigney was all smiles when she led her steer in the ring for the market steer and showmanship event on Wednesday night at the Lawrence County Fair.

"I think it'll be sad when it's over," she said before the show.

Rigney works at the Ohio River Bank and plans to attend Ohio University Southern in the fall, studying early childhood education. She is a member of the Gingham and Denim 4-H Club. It was the sixth year Rigney had taken a steer to the annual fair competition.

As she led her steer into the ring, she didn't look nervous. Apparently her confidence and skill showed as she placed first in her class in showmanship and her steer placed ninth.

"I'm happy with my overall finish," Rigney smiled.

This was Cody Myers' first year taking a steer, as he had presented goats the two previous years at the fair. His grandmother, Kay Myers, was in the crowd and she was excited when he won Reserve Champion.

"I'm glad he won," she said. "Two of his sisters had grand and reserve last year. My kids all four showed and now my grandkids are doing it."

Cody Myers said he enjoyed the win and he would do it again next year. Myers explained that he got his steer in August, when it was 6 months-old. He had to teach it to lead, set its feet up and comb its hair every day and teach it to hold its head up. Myers said he chose his steer because he thought it looked good.

"It's exciting," he said of his reserve championship.

Grand Champion Jared Bruce was pretty happy with his third year at the fair. Bruce said that he knew the competition was going to be tough.

"I thought it was going to be close with us all, it was my third year so I was pretty happy," he said. "I'd like to congratulate everybody who placed."