Staff photo / R. Michael Semple Anistyn Williams, 16, of Bristolville, 4-H Trumbull County Beef Boosters club member, maneuvers “Rico”, a 1388 lb. steer, in the ring during the Intermediate Drive Showmanship competition at the fair Thursday morning. Anistyn is recovering from shoulder surgery and is back in the ring.

BAZETTA — For Anistyn Williams, showing cattle has been a lifelong passion — which made Thursday morning’s return to the ring in Junior Fair Beef Showmanship at the 179th annual Trumbull County Fair all the more meaningful.

“This has always been my hobby, my sport. This is what I called my sport; this was always my life; I did this all day, every day, all year round,” said Williams, 16, of Bristolville. “Now this year, it’s kind of pushed me away.”

One of 20 participants in Thursday’s Highland cow showing, Williams said she was sidelined from cattle showing two years ago, when she was walking her cow and it mounted her other cow — yanking her arm and popping her shoulder out of its socket.

She said she went through numerous forms of treatment, but it left doctors befuddled.

“I went through therapy and cortisone shots and all that, etc. — they couldn’t find out what was wrong with it,” Williams said. “Finally, they went in for an exploratory surgery and found my joint was popping in and out of my socket and I was missing part of my labrum.”

To fix the problem, Williams explained that doctors shaved down part of her rotator cuff to enable the joint to move around, then tightened the socket.

“It was a big surgery,” she said.

Williams said she had been involved with animals since she was 7, starting out as a 4-H Cloverbud with cows and pigs. The experience carried her to Thursday’s show.

“I’ve gotten so competitive; I’ve done all the best series shows, going down to Columbus, Louisville, Kentucky shows,” Williams said. “It’s been tough this year, not being able to walk my cow and stuff.”

Thursday’s appearance was her second time walking her cow, Rico, since January, she said.

Even with an unyielding love for the hobby, Williams admitted she was anxious to step into the ring.

“I just have a big fear, you can see me crying before I went in — I was terrified to go in, not that my cow would do anything,” she said. But if somebody or another cow were to spook it and jump, it would really hurt it. My arm does hurt after the show, from using it so much.”

And Williams’ mother, Kimmy, understands that fear.

“It’s something she loves to do, but she doesn’t want to have to go through that surgery and recovery again, obviously,” Kimmy said. “Her dad and I, as a family, we’ve been encouraging her to put mind over matter — and it’s something she’s been able to do; she just has to get past the mental stage of it now.”

Kimmy didn’t have the words to describe Anistyn’s return to the ring, adding that it definitely made her tear up a bit.

“It’s something she’s always been passionate about and something she just didn’t know she would ever be able to do again. It was pretty exciting,” Kimmy said.

Kimmy said Anistyn’s decision to participate was made a week before the fair, adding that they had thought her brother, Diesel, would show the cattle in her place after switching to pigs later on.

Anistyn was rewarded for her decision, placing within the final five of the intermediate division.

As for what will happen to Rico, the cow, Anistyn said they’d show cows in the market, where judges will look at the cow based on appearance.

She said they’ll have today off, with Saturday being the sale day, when their animals will be sold and later butchered.

TODAY AT THE FAIR

8 a.m. — Admission Gate C opens (all other gates open at 10 a.m.)

9 a.m. — Junior Fair poultry showmanship and fancy breeds at the Poultry Barn

9 a.m. — Junior Fair goat show (showmanship, dairy breeds, outstanding project) at the Sale Barn

9 a.m. — Open class dairy show at the Dairy Ring

9 a.m. — Open class dairy goat show at the Sale Barn

9:30 a.m. — Fair pocket pets exhibition at the Rabbit Barn

9:30 a.m. — Junior Fair cavy show at the Rabbit Barn

10 a.m. — Exhibition halls open

10 a.m. — Junior Fair equine fun show at the Sawyer Ring

Noon to 3 p.m. — Jim Hein at the Bicentennial Stage

1 to 5 p.m. — Rides open

3 p.m. — ODNR animal show at the Historical Stage

5 p.m. — Francis Tennant Memorial Equine Show (4 p.m. is tack check)

6 to 11 p.m. — Rides open

6:30 p.m. — Trumbull County Fair Bud Rodgers Memorial Truck and Tractor Pulls at the Grandstand

7 to 10 p.m. — Mane Attraxion at the Historical Stage

9 a.m. to midnight — Junior Fair Dance in the Dirt at the Sawyer Ring

10 p.m. — Gates close