Clarissa Kell/Daily Press photo MAKENNA HOPPA, LEFT, with her reserve champion steer, Louie, along with Marlee Larson with her grand champion steer, Snoopy, after the finals of the Junior Beef Cattle Show on Tuesday at the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba. Though only 12, Larson was competing in the junior beef show for the third year.

ESCANABA — A youth from Menominee County had the grand champion Tuesday in the Junior Beef Cattle Show at the Upper Peninsula State Fair.

Marlee Larson of Wilson won with Snoopy, who tipped the scales at 1,416 pounds and took the grand champion title in the heavyweight division as well.

Representing lower Michigan, MaKenna Hoppa of Fremont raised the reserve champion, Louie.

Larson said she worked hard to prepare Snoopy for the show ring. “I did a lot of walking and brushing and training his hair,” she said.

Though only 12, Larson is no stranger to the U.P. State Fair cattle show. She said this was her third year showing a steer at the event.

Hoppa’s steer, Louie, weighed in at 1,378 pounds. “Being able to get reserve champion at our first time showing up here is pretty awesome,” the 17-year-old said.

Representing the heavyweight division, Snoopy and Louie competed with grand and reserve champions from two other weight classes.

Kylie Goodman of Chippewa County won grand champion in the lightweight steer division, with Parker Johnson of Menominee County receiving reserve. This division is for steers weighing 1,003 to 1,196 pounds.

In the medium division, for steers weighing 1,205 to 1,280 pounds, Ethan VanEnkenvort of Menominee County took the grand champion title, with Alexis Strom of Houghton County as reserve.

“For our junior beef exhibitors, it’s almost a year’s worth of anticipation and hard work for them to be prepared for (Tuesday) morning — this show day,” said Connie Wells, assistant to Beef Barn Superintendent Veronica Wallace.

“This is truly the moment that all of their hard work pays off.”

Clarissa Kell can be reached at 906-786-2021 or ckell@dailypress.net.