August 2021 State Fair Edition

head up when he did not place as

simply look out to where he was grazing and remember where my love for show cattle began. I have had some successes in the show ring since then and some occasions of falling short of my goals. But I have learned that winning is not the only way to measure your success from showing or anything in life. It is more about the lessons you learn, the friends you meet along the way, and knowing you did your absolute best in the end. I have met many great people from across the nation at shows who I have made many memories alongside. They have shown me how to be successful in life and still have fun doing it. Many of the people I have met through showing will always be lifelong friends. Furthermore, my friends from showing

livestock are the most reliable and helpful people I have ever met. Showing would not be the same without them. My family runs a purebred seedstock operation that specializes in raising Hereford cattle that can compete in the show ring but more importantly work in production. On the ranch, I learned many lessons on how to raise and handle livestock in the right way. Over the years, I have learned the best way to move and work cattle is to be calm and assertive even when nothing goes as planned. Working on the ranch has also taught me that if I want to spend time with my friends then I must finish my chores first. Not to mention, showing cattle has shown me that hard work in the barn pays off with winning in the show

well as I would have liked. His mild-mannered disposition mixed with the success I had showing him ignited my passion for showing cattle. At 7, which is before I understood his purpose as a market animal, I simply knew I could not sell him at the county fair auction. My family understood I was not going to budge and decided to use him as a mount steer for our semen collection business. Recently, he had to be put down due to old age, but I still appreciate him for starting my path in the show cattle industry. If I ever doubted my way in this industry, I would

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howing Hereford cattle has been one of my favorite passions ever since I can remember. I started showing at the age of 7 in the Junior Hereford Association and in 4-H. The first calf I showed was a Hereford steer named Cheddar. He taught me how to succeed in the show ring and how to hold my

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