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We gathered all day and trailed all night. I was absolutely exhausted, but I got to the bottom and knew I was going to show that steer. We named him Pryor and took him all over the country. My mom still claims that steer was one of the best we ever showed. After the conclusion of the county fair that year, a man named Dean Link approached my mom and dad about my brother Cody and I being on the Elbert County Livestock Judging Team that next year. I often think back to what a pivotal moment in my life that was. The program exploded over the next ten years and we were able to experience some amazing things. Under the guidance of Dean Link
and Garrett Miller, two people I owe so much of my life to, we were fortunate enough to win contests like Louisville, Denver, and The Royal Highland Show. More importantly however, they instilled in us a foundation for success in life that we still reap the benefits from today. Early on we did not buy steers, we showed steers that did not make the cut as bulls at the ranch. And that worked for a little while, until it did not. I remember standing dead last in class at my county fair with Dan Hoge judging and thinking this will never happen again. Only my mom and dad could tell you if that was all part of
the plan, but I do think they knew that if we were to achieve the kind of success that only comes from hard work, we would have to know what true failure felt like and never allow that to happen. I went to my dad later that week and told him the only way I was going to show steers was if we went and bought a fancy one. He would probably tell you that was the beginning of the end, but I remember the smile on his face. It has been a wild ride since then. Judging at Northeastern Junior College under Ben Cooley and Colorado State University under Shane Bedwell was a blast. I hold both of those gentlemen in the
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