Lacey Holen of Upham, N.D., grooms her prize Charolais cow, Sassy, at the 10th annual North Star Classic on Thursday. The show and sale will run through Sunday at the North Dakota Winter Show and features more than 14 breeds of cattle. (Steve Browne / Times-Record)

By Steve Browne
Times-Record staff writer

This year, the North Star Classic tried something new: a beauty pageant for cows.
On Thursday after the pen show at the annual North Dakota Winter Show event, cattle breeders trotted out their animals for the People’s Choice Award for best-looking animal.
The winner was Tenacious, a Charolais owned by exhibitors Lane and Vicki Bina of Lawton, N.D., northeast of Devils Lake.
The prize was awarded by a vote of fellow ranchers in the North Star Classic and was open to all breeds, said Winter Show Manager Nancy Allen.
There is no formal checklist for scoring. Ranchers have their own criteria for judging the best animals.
“I vote for the animal owned by whoever is going to throw the best party, of course,” said Tony Heins of New Salem, N.D.

For the full story, see the Friday, Dec. 4, print edition of the Valley City Times-Record.