now and then she shares a nugget that just makes me think. Recently she shared one that stopped me in my tracks- “When life brings you full circle, pay attention. There’s a lesson there.” It was after my team and I won the North American International Livestock Exposition Junior College livestock judging contest, and I realized that was a full circle moment for me. While taking a team photo on those green shavings, I thought of that green placing card that showed my 51 pt drop in fifth grade. I remembered the exact stalls in the West Wing where Blake and I first talked about judging in college. And, I thought of a million other moments, both good and bad, that helped shape my livestock judging experiences. And the lesson that I walked away with from that full circle moment is that you always need to believe in yourself, be honest with where you’re at on your Chase Harker has found success not only in the judging arena, but across multiple facets of the industry. This past Summer, he exhibited numerous National Champion Females including the Grand Champion Owned MaineTainer, Reserve Champion Bred & Owned MaineTainer, Grand Champion Bred & Owned Chi Composite, Grand Chamion Chi Cow/Calf Pair, Grand Chamion Owned Chi Composite Heifer and the Reserve Champion % Simmental Heifer. Chase currently serves as the VP of Marketing for the AJSA Board of Directors.
YOU ALWAYS NEED TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, BE HONEST WITH WHERE YOU’RE AT ON YOUR JOURNEY, AND WORK YOUR TAIL OFF TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. 073
journey, and work your tail off to achieve your goals. It may not always work out in your favor, but when it does, it is awesome! Winning the NAILE Junior Collegiate contest with a coach I respect alongside teammates I now call lifelong friends in a facility that holds such meaning, is indescribable. As much as I enjoyed that win, it’s back to work for me and my teammates. As coach frequently reminds me, I need to improve in a lot of areas. I certainly want to thank a long line of people who shaped not only my livestock judging career but also the person I’ve become—Cassie, Aleesa, Michael, Christian, Kalen, Blake, and Grace. Thanks for your willingness to believe in me long before I believed in myself. Your guidance serves as a constant reminder to me to pay it forward. ●
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