I’m Tyeson Gravenhof, from the small town of Roundup, Montana. West of Roundup, I resided on my family’s purebred angus ranch, where we raise and market seedstock. Also running a herd of 100 show goats. I grew up with incredibly loving and supportive parents that instilled in me a moral compass, a hard work ethic, and deep rooted faith. As well as two older siblings who pushed me and gave me big shoes to fill in the arena of life. As many are, I was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA growing up exhibiting goats and cattle which led to my eventual interest in judging. I vividly remember going to my first livestock judging contest at the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) without ever participating in a formal judging practice prior too. Judging 10 classes and giving 4 sets of reasons alongside 300 other contestants as a 13 year old felt overwhelming. I was
fearful of my performance and thus headed to cattle tie outs directly after the contest to make beds and turn out for the people I was helping. Later that evening when I found out I had won the contest, I still told everyone “I will never do that again.” Reluctantly, I continued to judge and grew to love and found a passion in evaluating stock. The fall of my senior year rolled around and I embarked on the quest to find a college. Touring places across the country, none seemed like the right fit until my last stop. Leaving the mountains and open spaces of Montana was difficult, but I found a place that felt like home in Miami, Oklahoma. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and the faculty of the Agriculture Department are second to none and have become family to me. They have a way of facilitating opportunities, and pushing me and my peers to strive for success in all of our
aspirations, but above all continually keeping us grounded and reminding us of the importance of being good people. I was incredibly blessed to become part of a diverse team that meshed well from the beginning. My teammates both challenge and encourage me. Most importantly, I am thankful for our tight-knit nature and the cherished friendships that have stemmed from it. I look forward to seeing the things I know they will accomplish in their endeavors of life. Even though I never told anyone, I knew from the beginning that if I was fortunate enough to find success I hoped it would be at The American Royal. The American Royal contest is no stranger to quality livestock, intense competition and rich livestock judging history. Unsurprisingly, my nerves were high going to the contest. When contest day arrived, I had flashbacks of
the same uneasy feeling I felt as that of a 13 year old some odd years ago. As I walked through the contest on the floor of Hale Arena, I continued to read the bible verse written on the back of my steno. Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present you’re requests to God.” I accredit the reassurance of this verse and a mighty God for the wave of calmness that came over me as I sorted the classes. At the end of the day I’m beyond thankful for the incredible day I had in Kansas City, but what’s paramount today will be a footnote tomorrow. It’s the people you meet and the relationships you foster that will serve you for the rest of your life. So thank God, stay humble, and strive to be better continuously. ●
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