first got started in the livestock industry at the age of eight showing Limousin heifers. The following year I began showing steers at Texas majors and it was rough to say the least. I showed at Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston and did not get pulled at any of them. The next year we were introduced to Tony and Brandy Jeffs and they began helping my family and I. Soon after, the progress skyrocketed. I made the sale at Fort Worth, won champion Charolais heifer at San Antonio, got to walk into the rodeo with my reserve champion Simmental steer at Houston, and was fortunate enough to earn the title of Reserve Supreme Heifer at Houston in 2013 with my Charolais heifer, Mary. From that year on things only continued to improve with my sisters and I winning several junior nationals and breeds at majors all over the United States. Everything was looking great until my freshman year of high school. Some things happened that year which prevented me from showing at the Texas majors that year. Even though not being able to show that year and do what I love was one of the worst feelings in the world, I think it was one of the best things for me. That hard year made me realize how much I love the industry, the cattle, the people and even all the long hours of hard work. As that show season moved on without me, I began planning for the next year and how I would show. I talked to my uncle, Jason Forrester, and my grandpa, Pops, and they agreed to give me a couple American steers they had raised that year. I began working with those two steers at the barn Pops had built a few years ago. My mom and I then talked to Tony and Brandy
about helping us find steers for the Texas majors. My freshman year ended, and I now had a set of eight steers for my sisters and I to show. We had success over the next couple years under Tony’s advisement and help, making the sale at the majors and being thrilled about it. This year for my senior year Tony went all out to try and get me a major win like my sisters had done before. Winning my first major and being the first ever person to win the Cattlemen’s Congress steer show was an awesome experience. Thinking about the excitement of the slap gives me shivers even a month after the big win. I vividly remember walking my steer out after getting the slap and Tony bear hugging me!! The emotion just began to well up inside of me as the realization started to hit me of what I had just accomplished. That day was definitely one of the best days of my life!! I would like to thank several people for the entirety of my stock show journey who helped me but the list would be too long to say in this short article so I will keep it to the basics. First of all I would like to thank Tony and Brandy Jeffs for everything they have done for me throughout my life but especially these last couple years and giving me a chance to show their steers. I would like to thank Seth Hammermeister for everything he has done for me throughout the years. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their help at the barn and dealing with my pickiness about the steers, Mason Allen, my lifelong best friend, and AJ Rogers for all of his help. These people may not be related to me, but they are all family and I would not be the person I am without them. •
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