FORT WORTH -- Kelton Marek did double duty at this year's Stock Show, but he didn't mind a bit.
That's because the duty the fourth-grader from Blanco did was for his double -- his twin brother Kolby Marek.The 10-year-old brothers are among the more than 2,800 youngsters entered in this year's Junior Steer Show, the Stock Show's concluding event, which sets up Saturday's high-dollar Sale of Champions.Kelton showed his brother's American crossbred steer Thursday as well as his own polled Hereford, named Herman.Kelton didn't see it as a big deal. He was only returning a favor."He showed mine when I couldn't be at one of the shows last year," he said.This time was a little different, though, because Kolby was there. The reason he couldn't show his steer was that he has a form of cerebral palsy."His left arm and leg are a little weaker. He shows at our county show and the little fairs and jackpots we have around there," said the boys' father, Jason Marek. "But he doesn't have the stamina to be in the ring as long as he would have to be here."Kelton sees his and Kolby's cattle-showing as ordinary, but their father still refers to the boys as "two little miracles.""They're twins, but when they were born, they were three months premature. So they were, head to toe, the size of my hand," said Marek, an agriculture teacher at Blanco High School."Kolby had some difficulties and has a form of cerebral palsy. It went from 'Y'all need to make plans to take him off the machines,' to 'Y'all need to plan for him being in a wheelchair, he's never going to walk,' to the last thing they told us: 'Y'all can take him home.'"Now, Kolby and Kelton are winning ribbons and buckles in the show ring -- a pursuit they took up with no prodding from their parents."With us being teachers, they grew up around it," said Marek, whose wife, Felice, is also an ag teacher at Blanco High. "When they got old enough to show, they started asking us when they were going to get their calves."The boys have been showing for two years, but this is their first time to compete at the Stock Show. Jason Marek said he showed at the Stock Show numerous times in his youth."Kolby is real hardheaded," he said. "If he sees his brother or his friends doing something, he wants to do it. And I don't ever want to tell him he can't."He plays baseball. He bats with one hand, and when he fields, he tucks the glove under his arm like Jim Abbott." (Abbott, a former big-league pitcher, was born without a right hand.)Marek said showing cattle has been therapeutic for Kolby."When he works with the calves and shows them, he has to use his left arm. That makes him stretch it out, work with it and strengthen it. His doctors say it has made a huge difference for him."And Kolby's dad feels that the benefits of showing go beyond the physical improvements."It gives him something to look forward to and get excited about. He can't play Pop Warner football or some of the stuff that other kids do. But a lot of those kids can't do what he does with his calves."But, while the boys clearly love showing, Kelton sees another reason that all the hard work is worth it."The best part is being able to come to this show and eat."Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
