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My name is Kade Sweeney, and I am a sophomore at Perkins Tryon High School. I am actively involved in the FFA program, operate Kade’s Kustom Fabrications, and KS Cattle Company. Kade’s Kustoms Fabrications manufactures custom livestock and show equipment. KS Cattle Company is a small cow-calf operation, I own and operate with my brothers, Kolby and Kash Sweeney. We run our operation with 15 cows that I started with two Red Angus cows. I purchased the first cow from SSS Red Angus in Alberta, Canada and the second from the RA Brown Ranch in Throckmorton, Texas. In 2017, my Grandfather gave us a few Angus heifers from his herd to help expand our program. Since the inception of KS Cattle Company, it has been my goal to focus on quality genetics for our herd. My herd now includes Red Angus and Angus genetics, of which I am proud to raise, market, show, and sell. In 2017, I attended my first North American Junior Red Angus Event (“NAJRAE”) in Stillwater, Oklahoma. At this show I participated in contests and even borrowed a heifer to compete in Peewee Showmanship. I went home with a bucket full of products, a new halter for my heifer, and lots of new friends. After that first show, I was hooked. I fell in love with the opportunity NAJRAE gave me to highlight my Red Angus cattle. In 2024, FUZION by NAJRAE expanded the opportunities for Red Angus and Angus enthusiasts to showcase their genetics through the addition of the Black-Red Carrier show. I was fortunate enough to exhibit the first National Champion Black-Red Carrier female in the United States. This was exciting for me because KOS Bailey 210 was one of the first heifers I had the opportunity to make the breeding decisions on. Learning about different genetics available, ideal phenotypes, and ideal genotypes was a learning
curve, but exhibiting a National Champion heifer, proved to me that it was something I could not only do, but do well. This year, I attended my 9th FUZION by NAJRAE with Miss Erica M160. She is the first Angus heifer I have had the opportunity to purchase. I purchased her from B2 Cattle Company outside of Edmond, Oklahoma to continue expanding my herd and genetics. I started working with her late in the spring and planned to take her to the National Junior Angus Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She quickly grew on me and became one of my favorite heifers! As we were loading the trailer for Spencer, Iowa, I told Dad I wanted to take her to the inaugural Angus show at FUZION. The week of FUZION, I didn’t know what to expect. My goal was to place in the top five. It is with a lot of pride and recognition of hard work, that I was named the very first, Champion Angus Female at FUZION. I was ecstatic! These wins not only mean a lot to me personally, but also as the manager of KS Cattle Company. As I continue to learn and grow in this industry, I take great pride in wins like these. It takes a lot of time, dedication, and sacrifices to be a young adult in the agriculture industry. It is rewarding for me to see the positive impact my breeding decisions have had on our program. It is an honor to have been selected as a Champion in these inaugural events that are helping shape not only the junior livestock industry, but the cattle business as a whole. As honored as I am to have been selected as the inaugural champion, I am even more excited to continue to see how the industry continues to progress with improved genetics and opportunities for collaborations from industry leaders. I look forward to future opportunities for young cattlemen, like myself and I look forward to what’s next for my herd at KS Cattle Company. ●
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