The largest creature at the 2022 Southwest Washington Fair is heavier than a female giraffe.
His name is Ryder, and he’s a big white steer. For those who care to attend the fair and guess his weight themselves, put the paper — or phone — down here and visit the Beef and Dairy Pavilion this week. He’s hard to miss.
On his pen is a poster with his weight covered, encouraging guesses. Considering 1,000 pounds would be enormous for even a grizzly bear, one may guess this bovine comes in under that. They’d be wrong.
Ryder is over 2,700 pounds.
Margarite Humphrey, 16, is the granddaughter of Ryder’s owner. She attends Adna High School and often works on her grandfather’s farm.
She told The Chronicle this was Ryder’s first time at a fair, and he is a little nervous.
To get him from the farm to fair, they had to borrow a neighbor’s “really large” trailer, Humphrey said.
“He’s super chill with my grandpa. (But) he’s been more freaked out and blowing snot at people,” she said. “He’s trying to act tough.”
Around Ryder’s pen, signs warn not to touch the massive steer. Humphrey said with a creature of his size, even just swatting his head at a fly could break an arm.
The fair runs through Sunday. For more information, visit https://southwestwashingtonfair.org/.
