“God is within her; she will not fall” - Psalms 46:5 This Bible verse is something I remind myself of daily, especially on contest days and the 2023 American Royal contest day was no different. I knew, no matter the results, I would give glory to God. My name is Kinsey Gardner, and I am the daughter of Julie and Jim Gardner. I grew up in the central Texas town of Gatesville where I judged for Coryell County 4-H and Gatesville FFA. Currently, I am a Blinn College sophomore pursuing Animal Science and Ag Business degrees. Winning high point individual would not have been possible without God and the people supporting me. My love for the livestock industry came from my Papa. From an early age, it was natural for us to talk about cattle while driving through the pasture or sitting in the living room. Although I am the first in my family to judge at the collegiate level, my family has been involved in the livestock industry for generations and instilled in me the importance of faith, family, farming, and ranching. I vividly remember my first livestock judging practice and giving my first set of reasons as a tiny third grader; it is then that I fell in love with the entire process of livestock judging. It became an important part of my life, and I knew that it was God’s calling for me to judge collegiately and beyond. Early on, people including Mike Harbour, Seth Jordan, and Ty Jordan coached me. They taught me to see animals and the basics of reasons but also taught me that judging is more about the people you meet along the way. In high school, my judging career changed tremendously when Emily Lochner became my coach. Emily further developed my judging and reasons skills, but most importantly she became a friend, livestock mentor and an example of a Godly woman. I was further blessed when Tar Tut came to assist Emily. Not only did I gain another coach, but another friend and cheerleader. When deciding where to attend junior college, I knew on the first visit that Blinn College was home. My previous coaches built my foundation, but my current coaches Quest Newberry and Adrian Austin continue to build my skills and push me to pursue my dreams in judging and in life; they do so for the entire Blinn College team. Winning high point individual was a dream come true; but what made the night better was having my Blinn team win overall. We are more than teammates; we are friends. Sharing this win with them put into perspective how working hard results in meaningful rewards. My future includes becoming an agriculture lender and raising quality livestock. I plan to stay involved with livestock judging by coaching young 4-H teams in the county I reside in. I hope one day I can be as impactful to the youth in the judging world as my coaches have been to me and hope to instill in them that by always having God within you, you will not fall. ■
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