Katelyn Johnson of Troy showed the Grand Champion Steer on Saturday at the 5th Annual Pike County Invitational Steer and Heifer Show at Cattleman Park.

Johnson, who will be a senior at Charles Henderson High School this fall, is off to the best start of what has been a stellar steer show “career.”

“I usually don’t do good at the beginning of the season,” said Johnson, who showed the Alabama Grand Champion steer at the 2011 Alabama Junior Beef Expo in Montgomery in March. “So, it’s exciting and encouraging to get the new season off to a good start.”

Johnson showed the grand champion steer, Mayhem, at the Memorial Day Classic in Opelika, giving her two grand champion titles going into the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association Roundup at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery next month.

“I always enjoy showing calves and I’m looking forward to my senior season, which will be my last,” Johnson said.

Forty-six high school students participated in the Pike County show, which began with the Showmanship division on Friday night and continued with the steer and heifer show on Saturday.

Grant Lyons, Pike County Extension coordinator, said the 5th Annual Pike County Invitational Steer and Heifer Show was a great success and showed great promise for the remaining summer shows and then the regular season which will end in March.

“The local kids did a great job and represented Pike County very well,” he said. “All of the participants did a good job and should be competitive throughout the season. We expect to see many of them at the Alabama Junior Beef Expo.”

In addition to showing the Grand Champion Steer, Johnson took overall third place in the steer show. Murdock Wynn of Moultrie, Georgia showed the Reserve Champion Steer. Mitchell Layfield, also of Georgia, took fourth overall and Morgan Graham of Pike County took fifth overall.

In the steer show, Pike Countian Trent Thomas was third in Class 17, Morgan Graham was second in Class 18, Johnson was first in Class 19 and Josh Graham was second. Jonathan Thomas was in second placed in Class 20 and Johnson was first in Class 21.

Juli Ann Williams of Carolton, Georgia showed the Supreme Champion Heifer and Anna Grace Parnell of Chilton County showed the Reserve Supreme Champion Heifer.

Williams showed the third overall heifer, Harmon Butler of Dale County showed the fourth overall heifer and Khadra Findley of Montgomery County showed the fifth overall heifer.

Morgan Graham showed the Reserve Champion AOB Class and Josh Graham was second in the Chi Influenced Class.

The spring and summer shows are important to young calf show participants because it encourages them to go ahead and get their calves halter broken and for them to get familiar with their calves.