The first time was a charm for brothers Nate and Garrett Tutvedt, who won the champion and reserve champion awards for their market steers at the Northwest Montana Fair.

Nate, 12, earned the champion award for his steer, Lucky, while Garrett, 14, nailed down the reserve champion spot with Royal.

“It was their first year taking a steer,” said the boys’ mother, Suzanne Tutvedt, club leader for the Rowdy Ropers 4-H Club. “They’ve been in 4-H since kindergarten. You have to be in third grade to take animals, and they’ve taken hogs before this.

“We were just so thrilled. It was so neat to have both the boys make the top two.”

Suzanne and Brian Tutvedt’s other two children also are seasoned fair competitors. Megan, 17, showed her steer, Frank, at this year’s fair, and showed horses, too, while the Tutvedts’ youngest son, Boe, 9, entered Hammy the market hog.

“The funny part of the story is that Megan had the first opportunity to choose from the cattle,” her mother said, adding that there had been a little good-natured teasing that she’d missed the chance to choose the top steer.

The livestock market sale on Saturday brought the livestock projects to a close for another year. It’s always a little sad for the youngsters to part with their animals.

“Yes, it will be hard for them,” Suzanne said Friday morning. “Especially with Lucky. He’s like a big teddy bear. He’s so sweet and very docile.”

But, she added, that’s part of life on the farm. 

The Tutvedts raise canola and spring wheat in the West Valley area. They used to operate a feedlot, too, but gave that up a while ago.

“You diversify and go with the changing times,” she said.

The Tutvedts’ children will select animals for next year’s fair this fall. They see the 4-H program as a valuable learning experience.

“It’s such a wonderful, rewarding opportunity,” Suzanne said. “It teaches kids responsibility, leadership and community service.”

Come Monday the fair will be relinquished to snapshots and sweet memories.

“It’s been a crazy week, but it’s so much fun,” she said. “I told the kids they can sleep in next week.”