DES MOINES, Iowa ( KCCI ) -- For many, the Iowa State Fair is a celebration of agriculture, community, and hard work. For 13-year-old Mesa Robinson, it was also a lesson in resilience and the kindness of her fellow 4-H participants.
Preparing a heifer for the show ring is no small feat. It’s a meticulous process that can take up to eight hours, requiring a team of dedicated helpers. But when Mesa arrived at the cattle barn at 5 a.m. to prepare for her noon showing, her team called and canceled.
“I thought that we weren’t going to be able to go in the ring because I didn’t know anyone else was going to be here to help us and willing to come right here on the spot,” Mesa said.
Fortunately, the barns at the Iowa State Fair are known for their sense of community. When Dylan Hamilton, a fe