Young showman finds support in the barns at Iowa State Fair
For many
By Beau Bowman
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — For many, the Iowa State Fair is a celebration of agriculture, community, and hard work. For 13-year-old Mesa Robinson, it was also a lesson in resilience and the kindness of her fellow 4-H participants.
Preparing a heifer for the show ring is no small feat. It’s a meticulous process that can take up to eight hours, requiring a team of dedicated helpers. But when Mesa arrived at the cattle barn at 5 a.m. to prepare for her noon showing, her team called and canceled.
“I thought that we weren’t going to be able to go in the ring because I didn’t know anyone else was going to be here to help us and willing to come right here on the spot,” Mesa said.
Fortunately, the barns at the Iowa State Fair are known for their sense of community. When Dylan Hamilton, a fellow fairgoer, heard about Mesa’s predicament, she didn’t hesitate to step in.
“I came up here to watch,” Dylan said. “She said everybody canceled on her, and she’s like, ‘Can you jump in and help?’ and I’m like, ‘Sure.’”
» See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.
With a groomer on each leg and Mesa at the front, scratching her heifer’s neck to keep her calm, the team worked together to get the animal show-ready. Their efforts paid off as Mesa walked her heifer to the ring, pausing for a quick prayer of gratitude before stepping into the Livestock Pavilion.
Once in the ring, it was just Mesa, her heifer, and the competition. After all the preparation, the judging lasted only five minutes. But those five minutes were enough to earn Mesa a blue ribbon.
“We’ll take that as a win,” Mesa’s mother, Shannon, said. “She did a lot better than she thought she would.”
Mesa expressed her gratitude for the fair family who stepped up when she needed them most. “They were just here, and we asked them if they could help us. And they said, ‘Of course.’ And so I’m really thankful that they came.”
The barns at the Iowa State Fair are more than just a place to prepare livestock — they’re a testament to the spirit of community. As Mesa would tell you, you never know when someone might need a helping hand, but there’s always someone ready to pitch in.
Where will KCCI be at the fair? You can see KCCI 8 News live at 4:30 p.m. every weekday during the fair from the MidAmerican Energy Stage.
You can also stream KCCI 8’s coverage of the Iowa State Fair for free on the Very Local app.
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