All in the family

Editor’s Note: The Southeastern Youth Fair will be from Feb. 18 to 26. During the next few weeks, the Riverland News will feature youths partipcating in the event.

Julie Mancini

Jeffery Alley works with his steer, Levi, as well as his sister’s, Jana, steer. Here, the steer isn't cooperating. Alley said he hadn't been working with it as much as he should because of work and hunting season. Now that hunting season is ending, he will be spending every afternoon until "past dark" working with steer.

Julie Mancini

Jeffery Alley holds up his "Best in Class" trophy from 2010. Behind him are family portraits. Family members have participated for more than 20 years in SEYF. His grandmother, Janey Markham, said her husband would probably stay involved for the rest of his life even though the grandchildren will be done after next year when they graduate.

Julie Mancini

Alley works on selecting a halter rope to work with while training his steer.

Julie Mancini

Jeffery Alley shows off the shelves of trophies in his bedroom.

Julie Mancini

Alley peers around a barn door to check on his steer.

Story by Lizzy Wright -- For the Riverland News

On the family farm in Romeo, Jeffery Alley exits the house heading toward the barn.
Today, he is going to try and spend a little time with Levi, the steer he’s raising for February’s Southeastern Youth Fair. Alley admits that he’s been working and hunting too much, and has not spent a lot of time with the steer.
The steer, in turn, proceeds to make it difficult for Alley to work with him, even after Alley dumps 50 pounds of feed into his trough. The steer is a bit too skittish. Alley has his work cut out for him, as he will attempt to get Levi halter broken and trained in time for the fair.
“I guess I’ll be out here every day after school until after dark,” Alley explained.
Alley is an 18-year-old junior at Dunnellon High School. This is his third year raising a steer, and his seventh year participating in the SEYF, which will be Feb. 18 to 26 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion at 2232 N.E. Jacksonville Road, Ocala. The high school rodeo will be Feb. 17 and 18.
Before showing steers, he showed hogs for four years; however, his freshman year he made the decision to start raising steers.
“Steers are more fun and challenging, but they bring on more responsibility,” Alley said. “I made the choice when I was ready.”
Levi is a Black Angus. Alley has had Levi since the middle of July and paid $600 for him, purchasing him from the Hiers family. By the end of the project, Alley believes he will have spent between $500 and $600 in feed. Levi eats 50 pounds of feed a day, and one bag of feed costs $15. Raising a steer is quite an investment.
“Levi is the second hardest steer I have had,” said Alley. “One steer ran me over and almost killed me.”
By the time fair comes along, Levi has to be over 900 pounds to be eligible for the fair, but now Alley believes he is around 1,500 pounds. The Youth Fair only pays kids for 1,300 pounds, so Levi’s purchaser will get more than they will actually be paying for. Alley isn’t worried though; he believes he will still make a good profit.
As an experienced participant, Alley knows what to look for when choosing his steer.
“I look for good body and bone structure, a flat back, and a wide chest and hips.”
In addition to getting Levi ready for the ring, Alley will also have to have Levi’s hair and hooves trimmed.
In past years, Alley has done well in show, he placed second in showmanship the past two years, placed first in class, and his first year he won the Weight Gain trophy, which means Alley’s steer gained the most weight from the first weigh in till the last weigh than the other steers at the fair.
“I’m most proud of the Weight Gain trophy and my first place in class,” Alley said.
You may say that it runs in Alley’s veins to participate in the Youth Fair, since his mom, aunt, and uncles have, starting back in the early 80s.
Alley and his sister, Jana, are the second generation of Southeastern Youth Fair showers in the family. Except for Alley’s first year raising a steer, all of his steers have been purchased from and raised in Romeo. Jana, also a junior at DHS, also is raising a steer she got locally from the Fifields.
Alley’s grandmother, Janey Markham, said: “It does kids good to get recognized for doing good things with the fair and learning responsibility.”
The family tradition will continue on even after Jeffery and Jana graduate. According to Janey Markham, their grandfather, Frank Markham, will “probably be involved with the fair for the rest of his life.”