The 2017 Iowa Governor's Charity Steer Show will mark the 35th consecutive year Iowa’s beef industry has raised funds to help families who use the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.

This year, the show ring competition will be Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair. Celebrities will lead 25 steers around the ring, vying for the championship designation, showmanship honors and the People’s Choice award. Immediately following the competition, the steers will be sold at auction with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Both the show ring event and the auction are open to the general public.

Since the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association began the Governor’s Charity Steer Show in 1983, the effort has raised more than $2.97 million for the Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City Ronald McDonald House Charities. The houses provide a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children being treated in area hospitals and have served nearly 45,000 families.

Steers owned by youth who raised them
Each of the 25 steers are owned by Iowa youth who have cared for the animals and participated in other shows with them. The youth prepare the animals for the show and assist a celebrity in the show ring. Sponsors reimburse the youth for the cost of the animal and choose the celebrity.

Youth participating in the 2017 Governor’s Charity Steer Show will also learn additional information about the beef industry on Aug. 10 and volunteer some time with the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Des Moines on Aug. 11.

Kim Reynolds to host show
Participants in this 35th anniversary event include Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will host the show. Mark Core and his daughter Bailey Boyert of Pleasantville will serve as the official steer show judges for this year’s event, and Cassie Johnson of Cushing has been selected to serve as the event’s showmanship judge.

Emcees for the event include Bob Quinn of WHO Radio and Michelle Rook of WNAX Radio. Auctioneers are Phil Schooley of Bloomfield, Will Epperly of Dunlap, Russel Sleep of Bedford and Jared Miller of Leon.

In the show ring
Here’s the list of 2017 steer show sponsors, steer owners and celebrities:

Sponsor: Iowa Beef Industry Council & Iowa Cattlemen's Association
Celebrity: Gov. Kim Reynolds
Steer Name: Smokin' Willie
Steer Owner: Cody Von Glan
City: Vail
County: Crawford
Parents: Clint and Renee Von Glan

Sponsor: Nor-AM Cold Storage & Crawford County Cattlemen
Celebrity: Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg
Steer Name: Scooter
Steer Owner: Makia Smith
City: Charter Oak
County: Crawford
Parents: Brent and Malisa Smith

Sponsor: Davis County Beef Promoters
Celebrity: Bob Sinclair, CEO, Sinclair Tractor
Steer Name: Stu
Steer Owner: Alex Lynch
City: Bloomfield
County: Davis
Parents: Rick and Susan Lynch

Sponsor: Southern Iowa Merchants
Celebrity: Mark Nook, president, UNI
Steer Name: Quincy
Steer Owner: Katherine Wielard
City: Pella
County: Mahaska
Parents: Mike and Laura Wielard

Sponsor: Central Iowa County Farm Bureaus
Celebrity: Marji Guyler-Alaniz, FarmHer, founder and president
Steer Name: Big Feller
Steer Owner: Abby Feldpausch
City: Beaman
County: Grundy
Parents: Brian and Jen Feldpausch

Sponsor: Des Moines Area Community College
Celebrity: Rob Denson, president, DMACC
Steer Name: DMACC Delivers "Chubbs"
Steer Owner: Alyssa Rhum
City: Leon
County: Decatur
Parents: Rick and Boni Rhum

Sponsor: Dee Zee Mfg. (The Quality Truck Accessory People)
Celebrity: Dr. Steve Stephenson, president, Blank Children's Hospital
Steer Name: D 1 Dreamer
Steer Owner: Addison Wall
City: Pleasantville
County: Marion
Parents: Patrick and Amanda Wall

Sponsor: Iowa Bankers Association
Celebrity: Mike Pearson, Market to Market
Steer Name: Big Kenny
Steer Owner: Allyssa Obrecht
City: Harlan
County: Shelby
Parents: Don and Jennifer Obrecht

Sponsor: Volunteer Boards of Iowa Ronald McDonald House Charities
Steer Name: Thanks A Million
Steer Owner: Alec Gotto
City: Dyersville
County: Delaware
Parents: Chad and Carrie Gotto

Sponsor: McDonald’s Restaurants of Eastern Iowa
Celebrity: Scott Turner, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics executive director, UI Stead Family Children's Hospital
Steer Name: McSteer
Steer Owner: Adam Monaghan
City: Manchester
County: Delaware
Parents: John and Polly Monoghan

Sponsor: McDonald’s Restaurants of Mid-Iowa
Celebrity: Rick Tollakson, CEO, Hubbell Realty
Steer Name: McDouble
Steer Owner: Ava Henningsen
City: Ames
County: Story
Parents: Brent and Beth Henningsen

Sponsor: McDonald's Restaurants of Northwest Iowa
Celebrity: Logan Kinyon, Miss Rodeo Iowa 2017
Steer Name: Mc’Muff’in
Steer Owner: Aiden Alt
City: Audubon
County: Audubon
Parents: Scott Alt

Sponsor: Friends of Floyd County & Corporate Farmer
Celebrity: Bill Northey, Iowa ag secretary
Steer Name: Hersey
Steer Owner: Jayden Jorgensen
City: Rudd
County: Floyd
Parents: Jim Jorgensen

Sponsor: Monroe County Cattlemen & Supporters
Celebrity: The Krier Family, Ashland, Kan.
Steer Name: Out of the Ashes
Steer Owner: Dalton Lawless
City: Albia
County: Monroe
Parents: John and JoBeth Lawless

Sponsor: Iowa County Beef Supporters
Celebrity: Ben Allen, interim president, ISU
Steer Name: Bluto
Steer Owner: Ethan Heitshusen
City: Williamsburg
County: Iowa
Parents: Kevin and Julie Heitshusen

Sponsor: Franklin County Supporters & Foster and Evelyn Barkema Charitable Trust
Celebrity: Dennis Reilly, chief of police for Grinnell
Steer Name: Leeroy
Steer Owner: Jack Wibholm
City: Alden
County: Franklin
Parents: John and Holly Wibholm

Sponsor: Iowa Hereford Breeders Association
Celebrity: Joni Ernst, U.S. senator
Steer Name: El Macho
Steer Owner: Jacob Smith
City: Newton
County: Jasper
Parents: Mark and Brenda Smith

Sponsor: Benton County Cattlemen and Local Supporters
Celebrity: Kevin Dresser, wrestling coach, ISU
Steer Name: Buster
Steer Owner: Alex Ludeking
City: Norway
County: Benton
Parents: George and Theresa Ludeking

Sponsor: Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board
Celebrity: Kurt Hora, president, Iowa Corn Growers Association
Steer Name: Bunny
Steer Owner: Macey Thomann
City: Riverside
County: Washington
Parents: Kenny and Becky Thomann

Sponsor: Sundown Fireworks & Johnson County Cattlemen
Celebrity: Cory Clark, NCAA National Champion
Steer Name: Bear
Steer Owner: Courtney Vondracek
City: Fairfax
County: Johnson
Parents: Kevin and Joan Vondracek

Sponsor: Johnson Family Farms, County Line Ag & JA Cattle
Celebrity: Doug Wagner, WMT Radio
Steer Name: Fuzzy
Steer Owner: Jentry Johnson
City: Andrew
County: Jackson
Parents: Chad and Billie Jo Johnson

Sponsor: Iowa Veterinary Medical Association & ISU College of Veterinary Medicine
Celebrity: Dr. Chuck Holz, IVMA veterinarian and Iowa House representative
Steer Name: Oliver
Steer Owner: Megan Osborn
City: Ames
County: Story
Parents: Barb Clawson & Chris Osborn

Sponsor: Beck's Hybrids
Celebrity: Sgt. Paul Parizek, Des Moines Police Department
Steer Name: Ted
Steer Owner: Mikaela Downing
City: Orient
County: Adair
Parents: Matt and Sheryl Downing

Sponsor: District 20 Cattlemen's Associations
Celebrity: Chip Flory, Pro Farmer
Steer Name: Heatwave
Steer Owner: Lane Walton
City: Salem
County: Henry
Parents: Anthony and Ami Walton

Sponsor: Channel Seeds
Celebrity: Dr. John Lawrence, vice president, ISU Extension and Outreach
Steer Name: Stevie
Steer Owner: Connor Briggs
City: Chariton
County: Lucas
Parents: Brian and Jodi Briggs

Source: Iowa Cattlemen’s Association