RANGELY | Rangely local and recent Rangely High School graduate Corbin Lucero wrapped up more than a decade participating in 4-H with a fourth consecutive Grand Champion win at the Rio Blanco County Fair. He won two Grand Champion awards for market steer, and senior showman. He explained, for those less familiar, that means he won awards for his own performance, and another for the overall health/appearance/etc. of his prize-wining steer “Alfredo.”
“He’s definitely the best one I’ve ever had,” Lucero said, describing various aspects about the steer which judges likely noticed, including the animal’s ability to turn and maneuver despite having very good muscle, an uncommon combination he described as “very powerful.” Lucero hopes that combination will also allow him to take home the win for Rio Blanco County at the Colorado State Fair.
Following his first Grand Champion win in 2020, Lucero told the HT, “I want to win three years in a row.” Last year about winning one more year, he said, “I’m gonna give it my best.” Lucero said this year’s win required just as much dedication, knowledge and hard work as the first three wins, not to mention a powerful, pasta-colored steer.
Reflecting on 11 years raising animals and participating in 4-H, county and state fairs, Corbin described how the opportunities presented by the 4-H program have played a role in his education and success outside of fair, stating, “When I interviewed for my job, and all the scholarships, I was confident in my communication skills and my leadership skills.” 4-H participation also offered opportunities for the 19-year-old to flesh out his resume and gain hands-on experience.
The bragging rights of four consecutive wins likely also provide Lucero with a boost of confidence as he steps into the next phase of life, though reflecting again on all the memories of county fair over the years, he explained how his success and dedication only came after failure, lessons learned and harnessing that failure to motivate future success.
The year before Lucero kicked off his winning streak would have seemed uncharacteristic of the quadruple Grand Champ. His steer failed to make weight in 2019. That meant months of work, thousands of dollars invested in feed, and emotional/physical energy all went down the drain in an instant. Lucero said he considered giving up that year, but ultimately turned it around and “lit a fire” that motivated him to work harder than ever. Lucero said that shift in perspective and ethic reverberated in other aspects of his life, including performance in school. One year later Lucero won Grand Champion and the rest is history.
Lucero is moving straight into the next phase of his life as he attends Colorado Northwestern Community College to become a registered nurse. Now that he’s done showing animals of his own and collecting all the purple ribbons, Lucero said he plans to continue participating in fair and 4-H wherever he can. That could and likely will include helping his younger sister win her own streak of awards. She took home her own showmanship award this year, Lucero said.
