The Yavapai Cattle Growers Association has announced that 8-year-old Woodrow Banuelos of Cottonwood won the Best Verde Valley Bred and Fed Steer Award at the 2025 Verde Valley Fair on May 3. The YCGA presented him with a $1,000 check for his award.
In what was his first year eligible to compete with a market animal, Banuelos made a memorable debut. The young showman is the son of Eric and McKenzie Banuelos, both Cottonwood natives who also grew up showing livestock at the Verde Valley Fair. Now they’re watching the next generation carry on the tradition.
Banuelos’ passion for cattle started early. When his older sister Kennedy Banuelos began showing on the jackpot circuit at age 7, Woodrow Banuelos was right by her side. At 5 years old, he began participating in peewee competitions, developing a deep-rooted love for the livestock industry.
As the youngest member of Banuelos Livestock and Feed, Banuelos was hands-on throughout the process of breeding, calving and raising his steer, affectionately named Who’s There. The name, inspired by the steer’s sire Knock Knock, was a shared joke between siblings that turned into a fitting moniker.
A key mentor along the way has been family friend Trenton Castro, to whom Banuelos looks up like an older brother. Castro not only helped guide and support Banuelos throughout the year but also had a standout fair himself, winning Grand Champion Market Goat.
After a year of showing side by side, Woodrow and Kennedy Banuelos wrapped up the season at the Verde Valley Fair in spectacular fashion. Not only did Woodrow Banuelos take home the Bred & Fed honors, but Kennedy Banuelos also earned Reserve Champion Market Beef — on her 10th birthday, no less — making the day even more special for the Banuelos family.
Capping off the celebration, Woodrow Banuelos’ Grand Champion Bred & Fed steer was purchased by longtime community supporters Chris and Nicole Ogden, an act of generosity that underscores the strong support for youth in agriculture in the Verde Valley.
Woodrow plans to continue raising and showing steers in the years to come, building on a foundation of hard work, family support and a love for the cattle industry.
Each year for the past several years, YCGA has presented a $1,000 check to the market steer exhibitor at the Verde Valley Fair who has the best-bred and -fed beef in the Verde Valley. YCGA encourages the development of more young people to get engaged in or pursue a career in the beef cattle industry and wishes Woodrow the best in his future endeavors.
