Cross sisters big winners at Oklahoma State Fair

By the time the sawdust settled at this year’s Oklahoma State Fair, Comanche sisters Clara and Kate Cross had brought home awards by the armful.

Clara, a 2024 Comanche High School graduate, and Kate, a freshman at CHS, dominated in the cattle divisions.

Clara’s heifer Emery won Division 1 Champion Maintainer Heifer. Her heifer Princess won Division and Breed Champion Maintainer and Breed Champion Bred and Owner Maintainer heifer. Her Maine bull Moose was Reserve Breed Champion.

Kate’s Honey was Division 1 Reserve Champion Maintainer and her Maine heifer Hope won Division 4 Champion and Breed Champion Heifer, Reserve Breed Champion Bred and Raised Maine Heifer and Kate won Reserve Champion Intermediate Showman with Hope.

As the younger sister, Kate got to be involved with the process of showing cattle by helping Clara out until she was old enough to start showing cattle herself. She said has been showing cattle for about nine years and has been in three or four state fairs.

“It just really showed what putting in so much time and effort and the support that we got paid off,” Kate said. “It just really expressed how much hard work it is and how grateful I am to have everyone who supports me and encourages me to do better every day.”

Kate wants to build on that success in the coming years. 

“I want to do better than I did this year,” Kate said. “It was very exciting. And my dad’s an emotional guy, so seeing him on the sidelines just looking so happy and excited because he showed and never got this opportunity. So, he’s really excited that I get to do this.”

They are the daughters of Jerrid and Kerry Cross.

Kate showed a total of five cattle and won division champions with her calves.

Their day starts at 6 a.m. when they get up to go to the barn to tend to the cattle. They feed, water, walk, take care of bedding and wash and dry them. The process is repeated later in the day. 

“It’s hard to get up at 6 a.m., you kind of just got to hit the ground running,” Kate said. “Hopefully, you’re not too tired, but you have to discipline yourself on what you do. If you have plans, you have to work it out with your parents and ask them to feed them for you. I still get to hang out with my friends, but I have to make time to actually work.”

Showing cattle is a lot of work, but it is in the family blood and comes naturally.

“It’s just a lot of time and effort,” Kate said. “It takes time out of your day, but just seeing everyone work together and seeing how happy you can be in what FFA can do for you.”

Kate is this year’s Comanche FFA vice president.

“I (show) because I like what I do and I do it because I like to win,” Kate said. “Hopefully, I’m going to do better in the future if I put more time and effort into it.”