M y first set of reasons was given in the living room of my grandparents’ house. As a young seven-year-old, I had a few goals, one being to follow in my dad’s footsteps of judging livestock collegiately. Little did I know, that seemingly small goal for a girl giving a set of reasons in her grandparents’ living room would soon become reality.
other, and those are friendships that I still hold close to my heart now. When it came time to choose a senior college to continue my education, Oklahoma State University was an easy decision for me. Even as a college student, I wanted to be like my dad. Seeing how his time at OSU shaped him, combined with the well-known history of the agriculture department, I felt right at home when I first stepped onto campus. Over the past two years,
I grew up in the small town of Amber, Oklahoma, where we raised show pigs and ran some cattle. I was involved in both 4-H and FFA in Oklahoma and in Texas after moving in 2016. Judging livestock has been a part of my life since I can remember. My dad judged at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and then at Oklahoma State University. I heard the stories about riding in the vans with your best friends and making memories that can still make someone
I’ve broadened my circle in connections and friends, and being a Cowboy has been the easiest and best decision I’ve made. I am so thankful to have achieved this goal and for all the people I’ve met that have helped me along the way. I thank my teammates and Parker Henley for constantly pushing me to achieve more than I thought was possible. Without their words of advice, affirmation, competition, and friendship, this title would have never been possible.
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laugh years later. I knew at that point I wanted to judge collegiately. After graduating high school, I started judging at South Plain College in Levelland, Texas under Conner Newsom. There’s something about riding in a van with your teammates that quickly makes you friends. These are the people that I shared highs and lows with for two years. We had our wins, and we had our losses, but we were always blessed with each
I can’t put into words how grateful I am to have such amazing parents, teammates, friends, and coaches in my corner supporting me along the way. Finally, I want to thank the good Lord above for providing me with these opportunities. Without Him, none of this would have come into fruition. To my seven-year-old self who had big dreams and aspirations of following my biggest role model, we did it! •
beyond the backdrop
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