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Guess his weight ~ you could win 2 tickets to EKG’s Bull-A-Rama
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Monday will be a bittersweet day for the Sobotka family of Inman. On that day, a long-time member of the family, Beavis, will be in the ring at Elgin Livestock Sales, Inc.
According to owner Kyle Sobotka, Beavis, a 15-year old Black Angus steer, was supposed to be a one-year project. “My plan was to fatten him and sell him right away but he grew on us,” Sobotka told The Elgin Review on Monday. “One year turned into 14 years”.
As a freshman in high school, Sobotka’s dad told him he could pick out a calf from the newly-weaned calves. “He told me I could pick out one bull and one heifer. I picked him because he would always go up to the feed bunk and wouldn’t run away from us when we walked up to him.” To this day, Beavis still will stand there for him, “we can put a two-year-old on his back,” he said. He’s slowed down and Sobotka made the decision to keep him organic and not “artificially” treat him.
The heifer that was picked out is also still a part of the herd. Simply named “Girlie”, she has a calf at her side but those same 15 years have also taken a toll on her. Sobotka said she has no teeth and is also finding it hard to get around. This season will be her last as part of the herd.
“It’s not going to be easy but it’s what is best for him,” Sobotka said about his decision. “It’s the circle of life.”
As you can imagine, Beavis is a big boy. How big? Let’s see if you can guess. He will be in pen 116 (along the road) at the sale barn on Monday, May 22. Drive by and take a look at him. Stop in at the barn’s office and take a guess at his weight. The winning guess will receive two tickets to EKG’s Bull-A-Rama on Friday, June 9.
