For me, there wasn’t just one whole day when I was at my best, but collectively this past summer. I was waking up before the sun was up, rinsing my show calves, walking my pigs, working on our family farm with my dad, then driving an hour Northwest from my house to work with a little girl named Hadley, and her heifer Nova. Chores took me between 4-6 hours every day, and I would be doing them twice a day. Most nights were spent in the barn, working until my shoes were soaked, knees sore, and thoughts of sleeping with my calves danced in my head.
Two weeks leading up to Hadley’s county fair, I was going over to her house everyday, working with her, her calf, and making best friends with her younger sibling ‘s Holden, Zeda, and Walker.
-Fast Forward to her county fair-
It was the morning of show day, Nova was washed, Hadley and her parents were anxious as ever, and I was getting excited. After getting her calf ready, she went into the ring and got second in her class. I was ecstatic for Hadley, and she showed her calf wonderfully. I had never seen such a young kid catch on to showing this fast, so I told her to go out for showmanship. Before the class was called, we went over some questions the judge might go over, and how to answer them. As Hadley entered the ring, I went to the rail of the fence, and I became one of those “nervous parents”. The judge finally made his way to Hadley, and I was close enough to hear their conversation. She had nailed all of the questions! My nerves grew bigger and bigger as the judge starting talking about the class, until he said the magic words. ” There is one showman in this class who knows what SHE is talking about and can sure stick HER calf like an expert. Today’s champion is going to be the little girl all the way down at the end.” Hadley had won! I was on the verge of tears, excitement , and was SO proud of Hadley and her accomplishment. She had done a great job, and I was so happy that I was able to have a part in teaching her every part of the way. I was so happy about Hadley and her win, I had almost lost track of time, and realized that I still had to show my heifer later in July.
– Fast Forward to My County Fair-
My heifer Mama Jo was clipped, and looked great. She got her name from my grandmother that had passed away suddenly after my graduation this year. I lost my best friend, but had gained a new one, that I named after my Grandma Jo. Our county fair is very competitive, so I wasn’t counting on anything extraordinary happening. Show day approached, and I had even bigger butterflies than watching Hadley show. I stepped in the ring for my class, and was placed first! I was ecstatic! My hard work was paying off. I then went back in for the Final Drive, with all of the other winners of the day. After the judge over looked all of the animals again, he made his was over to me, and gave me the “Grand Champion slap”. I did it. I had accomplished something that I had been dreaming about with my grandma every since I started showing in 4th grade. To be quite honest, I started bawling. I was filled with joy, and I knew that I had an angel watching over me that day. I walked back to my fitting stalls, and their Hadley was, with a huge smile on her face, waiting for a hug.
That is what it is all about. I was working so hard to not only for myself, but to help Hadley too. It is the relationships you make, and the people that you meet that help you become a better person, and if you’re lucky enough, you get to celebrate success with them as well.
I still get a HUGE smile on my face and a tear in my eyes to this day thinking about how I made an impact on her life, and how she made an impact on mine.
Hadley, Me, and my photo-bombing Father Doug
-Mikala 🙂
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