Baylee Wulfkuhle, 7, Berryton, left, and Jordan pine, 8, Lawrence, browse the lineup of market steers as they and other youths try to choose the best one Saturday during the Douglas County Fair. Youngsters put their judging ability to the test as they selected from several groups of livestock including sheep and pigs during the competition.

A market steer is held in place for the young judges to view during the livestock judging competition.

Fourteen-year-old Colton Horne can size up a cow pretty quickly.

Looking at the four cattle in the show ring at the Douglas County Fair on Saturday, Colton immediately picked No. 2, a market steer built like a linebacker, as the best of the bunch.

Colton was joined by dozens of other area youth with score cards, all sizing up cattle and practicing their livestock-judging skills in a livestock-judging competition.

Livestock judge Rick Blush, the officiator of the event, said the competition was a chance for the youngsters to learn the basics of livestock judging.

The amateur judges can win the competition by successfully ordering the cows, and, later in the day, goats, pigs and sheep, in the same way a seasoned livestock judge did.

Colton said he’s been judging livestock all his life, and he’s well-versed in what makes a winning cow.

Watching one of the cows that looked a little lean, Colton said, “He has no size. He needs to gain about 300 or 400 pounds.”

It’s all about the beef, Colton said, and a cow will score high if it has well-proportioned muscle and weight. Lots of it.

His friend, Tessa Lieber, 14, however, takes a less scientific approach to cattle judging.

“I just guess,” she said.

For Tessa and Colton, the event isn’t too serious, and they say it’s just an opportunity to hang out with friends and have some fun.

But other youngsters, such as Baldwin City 12-year-old Gunther Wehrman, are sharpening their skills for the opportunity to one day be a professional livestock judge.

Gunther has been to so many livestock-judging competitions that he can’t count them, and he said he plans to attend a college with a livestock-judging team, such as Oklahoma State University.

After more years of training, what’s his goal?

“Come here and judge for Douglas County,” he said.

While Gunther hopes to have a promising future in livestock judging, the future for the animals being judged isn’t as bright.

Many of the animals are auctioned off, and the next time they’re judged, it will be for their taste, not their appearance.

The fate of the animals is a reality these young judges know well.

“They’ll probably be dead by next Tuesday,” said Colton of the cattle. “Hanging in the cooler.”