Livestock show becomes ‘family affair’ at Central States Fair

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - The Central States Fair kicked off Friday with a series of youth livestock shows. And it was a family affair for the LaMont siblings.

Brooke, Logan, and Kole help raise various livestock such as sheep, cattle and goats while also competing in shows together.

“It’s fun cause we can all enjoy something that we love doing, so we get to chill around each other or hang around and it’s fun when you see family members come to watch you do something that you love,” said Logan LaMont, the second youngest of the bunch. “I think it’s more enjoyable because we all get to show each other most of the time, so it’s fun to see which one does better.”

Ranching didn’t begin with this generation. Grandmother Tammy Basel has raised sheep and cattle since she was a little girl while operating on land her grandmother homesteaded on.

Her passion fell to her son, Ryan LaMont, who operates his own ranch with help from his wife and children.

“My son ranches 15 miles away and he’s also a sheep and cattle rancher. And he has his children here. So it is truly a family affair. We work together hand and hand year-round,” said Basel.

Despite being competitors, the LaMont siblings work together to put their best foot forward in shows.

“I think in competition you always want to do better than your sibling and all in the same boat you want your sibling do well and I think they definitely do that for each other. They try to help each other whatever way possible,” said their parents, Ryan and Shilo LaMont.

The LaMont family is proud to have six generations of livestock producing and hope to continue for many more years.

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