Ten years ago, when I attended my very first Shorthorn Junior National in St. Paul, Minnesota, I never imagined it would turn into a decade of chasing banners, making memories, and attending every Junior National possible. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe that one week at a cattle show would shape so much of who I am today. This summer was one I’ll never forget. Over the course of 32 straight days, I attended four different Junior Nationals, traveling more than 3,500 miles from Chianina and Maine- Anjou Junior Nationals in Grand Island, Nebraska, to Shorthorns in Abilene, Texas, to Limousin in Circleville, Ohio, and finally Angus in Louisville, Kentucky. While it was one of the busiest summers I’ve ever had, it also reminded me why I fell in love with this industry in the first place. The people. The reality is that summers like this don’t just happen. They take months of planning, hotel rooms, what trailers and tack are going where, countless hours on the road, and an incredible group of people who make it all possible. I have been fortunate enough to work alongside some of the very best in the business. The Winegardner Klingaman, Schaeffer, Jones, and Cates crews have become so much more than people I show cattle with. They’ve become family. They have supported me, challenged
me, celebrated with me, picked me up when things didn’t go my way, and reminded me time and time again that this industry is built on people. Looking back over the last ten years, I realize my junior career has never really been about the banners or backdrop pictures. Sure, those moments are something I’ll always treasure, but they aren’t what I’ll remember most. What I’ll remember are the friendships made in the barns, the laughs on late-night drives from one show to another, and the countless people who took the time to invest in me along the way. Every early morning, every long drive, every win, and every disappointment helped shape me into the person I am today, both inside and outside the show ring. When it came time to figure out how I wanted to give back to an industry that had already given me so much, running for the National Junior Shorthorn Board felt like the obvious choice. After all, Shorthorns are where it all started. Serving as both a director and President has been one of the greatest honors of my junior career. It gave me the opportunity to help create experiences for younger exhibitors that were so similar to the ones that shaped me. It also taught me that leadership isn’t about having a title. It’s about serving others, listening, and doing your best to leave something better than you found it.
115
Powered by FlippingBook