Youths from Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin had the chance to show their cattle in a setting outside the county fair Saturday.

The sixth annual March Madness Preview Show brought in 115 head of cattle and 97 exhibitors at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.

“The numbers are up from last year and the weather is perfect,” said Paul Hansen of the Freeborn County Cattlemen’s Association.

Of those exhibiting, 24 were from Freeborn County. “That’s a high for us,” Hansen said.

Both steers and heifers could be exhibited. Classes were divided by breeds. Both county and overall champions were named.

“Our base is really the county kids,” Hansen said, adding one of the show’s sponsors, AgStar, has made it a point to reward kids from Freeborn County well.

Overall, he added, area sponsorships made it possible for the show to pay out more in premiums this year.

The show is a chance to promote the cattle industry and promote quality, Hansen said, adding to enjoys seeing families working together to prepare an animal for the show ring. “There are moms and dads and brothers and sisters all working together to get an animal ready,” he said.

Hannah Wangsness, 11, of Albert Lea, was showing a Hereford heifer for the first time at the show. Her brother started showing last year, and this year she decided to join him. She said she prepared the animal by clipping and washing her as well as working with her ahead of time. She took third place in her class.

“It was fun,” she said of her time in the ring.

Kendra Davis, 13, of Glenville was in her fourth year of showing.

“I just like cows and it’s a good opportunity,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what place I get, just so I have fun.”

Her sister, Randene Davis, 18, was handing out ribbons in her role as the 2009 Freeborn County Cattlemen’s Ambassador. She was also showing, something she’d done for six years.

“It’s a community thing,” she said. “There’s a group of us who show cattle and we get to know each other well. It’s really social. It’s a good connection.”

Randene Davis said she and her sister would be showing in Austin in April, Rochester in June, at the county fair and at the state fair.

Brothers Riley, 13, and Grady Ruble, 15, were busy preparing a heifer for showing, clipping the hair above her hooves. She’d already been brushed.

Their dad, Doug, watched them groom the shorthorn plus heifer. “She was home-bred, so she’s really special,” he said.

Riley Ruble said he enjoys working with the animals, going into the ring and showing them, and getting place.

Grady Ruble said the family also tries to get to shows in Austin, Fergus Falls, Rochester, the county and state fairs and the Junior Nationals in Illinois.