Kickin' It In Kansas

Growing up raising and exhibiting cattle, our family "vacations" consisted of packing in to our single-cab pick-up and driving across the country to the Junior National Hereford Expo in July.  Luckily for me, this year's show was held in Kansas City (which, from a travel-time standpoint, beat every previous one I've driven to by at least 10 hours).  It was such a great opportunity to return to this prestigious show and watch junior member's compete.  

While there were many highlights of this week's events, my favorite moment occurred when the young girl I used to babysit (and the flower girl in my wedding) took me on a "shopping spree" to the livestock show supply trailer.  She was eying a purple scotch-comb that would perfectly match the new show stick her folks purchased for her earlier in the week.  After making sure the new comb would fit in her back pocket, I decided to get it for her.  To her, it is her very own, most-basic piece of equipment that she'll use at cattle shows for years to come.  But for me, this gift has deeper meaning.  When I decided to run for the junior Hereford board of directors (gasp!) 9 years ago, one of the final questions in our Q&A session was, if you could be one thing in your showbox, what would you be.  I responded, "A scotch-comb.  Because, when you first get started, people - like the hair on my cattle - can be going in a lot of different directions.  I want to be the thing that gets everything moving together.  Moving forward."  It was a pivotal time in the association's history, and I was lucky to have been elected to the board that played a major role in moving its membership in the right direction.  While sitting in the bleachers watching over 1300-head of cattle exhibited by kids from every corner of the country, I felt an intense sense of pride for the organization that I was so fortunate to be a part of and the accomplishments it has made over the past decade.  

One day, I know she'll out grow this little purple scotch-comb, but I know the future is bright with young kids like Allison who are ready to learn and lead.   

(Congrats, Justin, on your reserve division bull!)