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y name is Kestyn Holmes, and I am a 14-year-old freshman at Highland high school in Riverside, Iowa. I am involved in the Limcreek livewires 4-H club and FFA. This year in August I exhibited the supreme champion breeding heifer at the Iowa state fair with my heifer, Donna. My number 1 goal in 2025-2026 was getting in the top 5 in the breeding heifer show at the Iowa state fair. In 2025 when my dad and I were looking at cattle for the upcoming show
season at Boyert-Core, the first pen we walked in, we both looked at one heifer and thought, this is the one that can raise them. Choosing between many high-quality heifers was very difficult, but this one just stuck out to us. Taking a big risk not knowing how this heifer would turn out in a year, my family and I decided to show her. When it was time to go to Des Moines after all the early mornings, late nights, and all of mine and my sisters time spent in the barn,
we got there hoping we could just get through our divisions, not knowing what could happen. It was such a special moment for my family and I when we got champion Angus female, and an even more surreal moment when we got into the top 5. Before stepping into the ring for final drive, I felt nervous, excited, and proud that I had made it this far. As the judge, Chris Mullinix finished his speech and took one last look at all of the heifers, I thought of how lucky I was to grow up
in the cattle industry and be surrounded by so many good people, then when he came back towards Donna and I, all of the feelings rushed through me but it was mostly pure joy. My biggest dream came true on this day, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the people who have helped along the way. But mostly I want to thank my parents, Jared and Bailey Boyert, the Boyert crew, my sisters, Mason Shalla, Scout Lock, and Leah Evans. ●
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