Bingham’s fair a winner : His steers were named Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/65927/
SULPHUR SPRINGS — When 13-year-old Levi Bingham won top honors for showing his steers at the Benton County Fair this month, it became a moment that his mother and grandmother would cherish forever.
“ I just could not keep the tears back. I was just so proud. More than anything, I was happy for him because of all the hard work he has put into everything, ” said Sue Eaton, Bingham’s grandmother, of the moment it was announced that Bingham’s steers won both Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion at the fair.
Watching Levi win was incredible, said Kelly Pruitt, Bingham’s mom. “ I was so proud of him because I knew all of his hard work had paid off, ” she said. “ As far as we know, there has not been a child to win both (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion steer ) at the Benton County Fair. ”
As for Bingham, the modest teenager was just excited about being able to show his steers.
“ I was excited about showing at the county because I knew my steers looked good, ” Bingham said. “ And I was excited when I won because I worked so hard to get them both ready for this year. ”
Winning at the county fair means Bingham is now getting geared up to show his steers at the State Fair in Little Rock in October. When he showed there last year, he took home the ribbon for Reserve Grand Champion steer. This year, the teen hopes to be able to win Grand Champion.
“ I would like to try as hard as I can to win that show. The State Fair in Little Rock ) is the big-money place, so it means a lot, ” Bingham said. “ I am hoping for the best, but I know that I have to work really hard at it. ”
To help him achieve his goals, Bingham’s mom, Kelly, spends a great deal of time keeping her son focused on his goals of winning while making sure he remembers just to be a kid sometimes, she said.
“ If I win (the state competition ), I am going to jump up and down and scream and shout a bit, ” Bingham said. “ Then I am going to try to remember what I did to win so I can repeat it next year. ”
A big fan of the movie “ Smokey and the Bandit, ” Bingham named his steers Bandit and Cletus.
Bandit — who won Grand Champion — is Bingham’s favorite of the two steers, although Bingham admits Bandit is a little shy — nothing like the character Burt Reynolds made famous in the 1970 s.
“ Bandit is my favorite. Bandit is sort of more shy. Sometimes he is not ready to get into the ring. He is kind of more laid back, I would say, ” Bingham said.
As for Cletus — well, he just likes to eat.