For the fourth year, Randy Klouse prepped his table, threw some beef on the grill and entered the Mower County Fair’s beef cook-off. As usual, it was a fitting way to kick off the annual event, before all the livestock madness.

“Today, I marinated the ribeye steak in a barbecue sauce and some spices that I whipped up together,” Klouse said, in front of a unique setup that would have fit in a gearhead’s garage.

Klouse, of Rose Creek, was poised to win the competition this year, competing against just one other competitor. Judging criteria includes presentation, and Klouse served his creation with Snap-On Tools’ utensils on a Snap-On tablecloth, with matching glasses, pitcher and stool.

For roughly 20 years, the Mower County Cattlemen have sponsored the event, leading into cattle show festivities.

“The whole point is to coincide with the Midwest Steer and Heifer Show, to draw attention to it,” said Taggert Medgaarden, who won the cook-off in 2000 and has been organizing the effort since 2001.

Medgaarden, along with others from the Cattlemen’s Association, again promoted their industry by serving plenty of free ribeye samples, a treat not easily turned down by fairgoers.

“It’s promotion for the beef, and we’ve got to do everything we can to promote,” said Roger Jax of the association.

While the cook-off didn’t draw the turnout it has in years past, a first-year competitor, Victor Torrez, tried his hand at the event with a top round steak, smoked with wood chips.

“I just decided to get in this one to see how I do,” Torrez said.

Competitors always have to furnish their own grills and utensils and are scored on multiple criteria, including taste, ease of preparation, practicality and overall appeal. Klouse won this year’s contest, along with the culinary award.