ESCANABA – Two brothers from Wallace took the top spots Tuesday when their steers won Grand Champion and Reserve Champion at the Upper Peninsula State Fair.
The two recently took first and second at the Menominee County Fair but this time Jaxon Moker, 12, beat out his older brother Jase Moker for Grand Champion.
“I didn’t realize anything until he (the judge) started walking towards me. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s going to pick me.’ He patted my steer and said, ‘Congratulations, you’re the new grand champion,'” Jaxon said.
The judge said Jaxon’s steer puts a lot of good things together in terms of carcass traits and details such as thickness, bone unit and balance on a good skeleton.
He said the Reserve Champion measured up to the Grand Champion in every way. Jaxon congratulated his older brother after they left the arena.
“I told him congratulations and that it’s the other way around from the county fair,” Jaxon said.
The two will now get ready for the Livestock Auction on Saturday at fair.