Our county fair is over and thought I would share this moment that really stopped me in my tracks. We took a homebred hereford heifer. We thought she was nice but we are just a small breeder. She is a fourth generation for our son. We were very proud of her as she was the talk of the barn. even the non-herf people thought she was going to be tough to get around. We know that it is hard for any judge to put a herf in front of the other breeds but we were hopefull. She looked big, is wicked sound, feminine and deep in the pen. Won the herf deal and went in for supreme. As the judge said he was an angus man we knew we were hoping for reserve. Well, he gated her. Even the people we beat were a bit surprised. Her problem-she was a herf and there wasn't another heifer in the pen he could marry to her to have a complete pair. I was not a happy camper. I congratulated the winners and took her back to the stall. After I tied her up, I turned around to see Carol Cummings. She told me how pretty ours was and gave me big a hug. As she hugged me she told me "you are so lucky".....that folks was a defining moment and I thanked her for the kind words and my thoughts were turned around right then and there. I realized we didn't need that fancy ribbon to define this homebred girl. I was so very lucky. She went back to out son's first hereford heifer that won Supreme for him. We raised her. As the judge went up to our son and told him he would have been 3rd, I was proud of him as he told the judge he raised her. I believe she was the only one in the pen that $ didn't buy.
Carol Cummings helped me realize in that moment why we do this. We strive to better ourselves and raise what we feel is a good one. Our heifer is going to state to see where we stand and for us there is another show and for that I am so grateful. I know Carol would give anything to have just 1 more show with Chris and I am so thankful she set me straight that day. So Good Luck to all and take a moment to remember why you are doing what you do. Joan
Carol Cummings helped me realize in that moment why we do this. We strive to better ourselves and raise what we feel is a good one. Our heifer is going to state to see where we stand and for us there is another show and for that I am so grateful. I know Carol would give anything to have just 1 more show with Chris and I am so thankful she set me straight that day. So Good Luck to all and take a moment to remember why you are doing what you do. Joan
