Fair exhibitors say farewell: Trio recalls good times growing up together, showing cattle

Growing up together and showing cattle at the Saline County Fair, (from left) Paul Dehn, Breinne Clemens and Bill Gorrell each sold their last item on Friday, July 16 at the Junior Sale. Together, they have almost 40 years of cattle-showing experience. (Marcia Gorrell/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

When Breinne Clemens, Paul Dehn and Bill Gorrell are asked for their favorite memories from each showing over 13 years at the Saline County Fair, it's not the actual shows they recall.

Instead it is the games like the Barnyard Olympics: "I remember me and Paul chugging that Mountain Dew down," said Clemens, recalling sucking on a calf bottle, racing to see who can finish in the fastest time.

Or the pranks, like getting thrown in the pond, shaving cream wars, water fights or just generally picking on each other.

"What goes around went around. You got me this time, I'll get you next time," said Dehn.

All three are 2007 graduates of Marshall High School and all three showed and sold one final animal during the 2010 Saline County Fair. Each gave a speech thanking those who had helped them through the years, since at age 21 the Missouri State Fair in August will be their final show as junior exhibitors.

Dehn and Gorrell started showing bottle calves at the fair as 4-H Clover Kids at age 6 and Dehn showed his first steer at age 8.

The youngest of four children, Dehn's older brother, Scott, had been the first of the family to show steers.

"My dad wanted something for all us kids to do and he was always into cattle so he started Scott off when he was 8 and it kind of went from there," he said. "We got more competitive, a lot more competitive, but that's how we got started."

Gorrell showed his first steer at age 9.

"I started showing bottle calves, and I just started watching the steer show and started showing after that," he said. In fact, the first steer he showed was "Whitey," a bottle calf he had exhibited the previous year.

Clemens said she showed pigs her first year and then switched to steers at age 10. She began showing at the fair, "because my uncle had shown when he was young and my brother was showing and I wanted to be just like my brother," she said.

However, since her older brother had been stepped on by a steer, breaking a bone at a young age, "my uncle made me wait until I was 10."

In fact, when asked about her memories, one she recalled was when Gorrell was also stepped on.

"I remember when you got stepped on. I was in the champion class with you. That was scary," she said, recalling an incident when Gorrell ended up on the ground and being stepped on in the chest by his steer after it was "spooked" entering the show ring for the second time that day, as a class winner.

"Definitely getting stepped on was not a favorite memory, but that's the one I remember the most, though," said Gorrell, who left the fair in an ambulance after being strapped on a backboard. As it turned out, he had sustained only bruises, including one resembling a hoof-print near his throat.

Despite that, the three kept showing cattle each year, showing at many different venues, including the Ag Rho Classic in Columbia, Block and Bridle, the Missouri State Fair and others.

This year, however in his final year Dehn decided to show sheep instead of cattle.

"I just got burned out and decided to try something new," he said. "I just wanted to have fun."

Among the things Dehn said he will remember about his experiences is "probably going out to all the shows and having a good time, relaxing, meeting new people and hanging out."

Asked what they learned through all the years, Clemens said she had learned "patience" but also that showing and caring for animals was a "lot of responsibility."

Gorrell said he had learned "how to feed cattle."

"There is a science to it -- a chemistry," agreed Dehn.

Asked what they will miss about being able to show, Dehn said he'll miss "winning."

"Just the fun of it. Your heart just beats fast when you're in the championship drive because it's all or nothing. You do your best or you get beat by the best," he said. "That's what it comes down to."

Gorrell said he will also miss the competition.

"It's a lot of fun to take my cattle out there that I've been working so hard on and see how they can do against everybody else's," he said.

Clemens said she would miss "everything."

"The getting up at six o'clock is not so much fun, but you learn how to get up early when you have responsibility," said Clemens.

In keeping with the theme of "giving each other a hard time," Dehn responded during the interview.

"Six o'clock is kind of late Bre," he said, laughing.

Clemens and Dehn said they plan on being around the fair in the future, as Clemens has young cousins still showing. Dehn said he plans on "being everywhere," to help "all these little showmen coming on here."

After graduating from high school, all three attended college.

Dehn went to Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville and is now in Marshall, working "various places" and has plans to go back to college.

"I'm going to go back and at least get my two-year degree," he said, adding he only has one semester left.

Clemens went to Missouri Valley College for two years before transferring to Northwest Missouri State last year. She is pursuing a degree in agricultural education and plans to be an ag teacher.

"I wanted to teach and I didn't want to give up the ag, so that's why I'm doing ag education," she explained.

Gorrell will be entering his senior year this fall at Northwest Missouri State and plans on receiving a degree in agriculture science, with a minor in precision agriculture, in May 2011. After that he plans to join his family's farming operation.

Editor's note: The author is Bill Gorrell's mother.

Contact Marcia Gorrell at mgorrell@marshallnews.com