I know how many people on these boards do not care for show cattle, I get that, but there are some real advantages to showing cattle or any type of livestock.
My grandson passed a way almost 7 years ago, in his memory myself and a few friends started a foundation that sponsors young people in our state with the opportunity to show a breeding heifer, we supply the heifer, the feed, pay for the entries and the show supplies, we were aiming for kids who show but were limited by finances, we wanted to provide them with a decent animal that would be able to stand near the top of their class. At the same time we decided we would help out some local kids by working with some of the FFA chapters in our area, the instructors suggest young people they think will benefit from out program, The 2 young men were completely different, one young man was an officer in the club, participated in all the competitions just did not have the funds to do a project. The other young man was not very focused, at that point in life where he could go either direction in life. Both were exceptional to work with, and came out of the project much better for it, The first young man is headed to diesel mechanics school in Wyoming the other would like to join the operators or welding union. The young lady with the heifer have been a real treat to work with watching them grow as a team, has been a quite satisfyingly. When I hauled the heifer home she was an absolute head case, could not get near her after she came out of the trailer, when the young lady came to pick her up I told her I had some concerns, well the young lady spent an hour in the pen just talking to her and occasionally touching her when she came close, after the hour was up she had a halter on her and was leading her to the trailer. Their like best friends now.
This was our 6th year of helping kids, every kid has been a pleasure to work with and have come away from their projects with more confidence, experience and just seem like better more rounded young people. I came to this realization at the end of this year and posted it, here it what i think showing livestock is all about:
After talking to several people about the projects and the kids, it came to me "we are not providing kids with a project, we are helping kids become better adults, all the lessons they learn in those 9 months of raising their project help them develop as young adults.
When they first get their project their nervous the animal is scared, they work daily and that goes away, then they begin the task of working toward becoming a team. I always tell them it is a long project every day that you make just a little progress it is a win. Then there are those days that the animal may be not feeling well, they have to treat or doctor it.
There are those times every thing is going great and you go to work with them and notice all that hair you have worked so hard to train was rubbed off over night, you start over.
You learn that taking short cuts does not net the same results as doing it the right way.
You make friends with people you would have never even met if you had not done the project. People, that 30 years later, are still your friends.
We are Proud of all the kids and their accomplishments. The kids we sponsored this year plus the ones from the past years who just keep doing great things.
Thank you all for supporting Curren's Cows Foundation and the kids that thrive through the program.
My grandson passed a way almost 7 years ago, in his memory myself and a few friends started a foundation that sponsors young people in our state with the opportunity to show a breeding heifer, we supply the heifer, the feed, pay for the entries and the show supplies, we were aiming for kids who show but were limited by finances, we wanted to provide them with a decent animal that would be able to stand near the top of their class. At the same time we decided we would help out some local kids by working with some of the FFA chapters in our area, the instructors suggest young people they think will benefit from out program, The 2 young men were completely different, one young man was an officer in the club, participated in all the competitions just did not have the funds to do a project. The other young man was not very focused, at that point in life where he could go either direction in life. Both were exceptional to work with, and came out of the project much better for it, The first young man is headed to diesel mechanics school in Wyoming the other would like to join the operators or welding union. The young lady with the heifer have been a real treat to work with watching them grow as a team, has been a quite satisfyingly. When I hauled the heifer home she was an absolute head case, could not get near her after she came out of the trailer, when the young lady came to pick her up I told her I had some concerns, well the young lady spent an hour in the pen just talking to her and occasionally touching her when she came close, after the hour was up she had a halter on her and was leading her to the trailer. Their like best friends now.
This was our 6th year of helping kids, every kid has been a pleasure to work with and have come away from their projects with more confidence, experience and just seem like better more rounded young people. I came to this realization at the end of this year and posted it, here it what i think showing livestock is all about:
After talking to several people about the projects and the kids, it came to me "we are not providing kids with a project, we are helping kids become better adults, all the lessons they learn in those 9 months of raising their project help them develop as young adults.
When they first get their project their nervous the animal is scared, they work daily and that goes away, then they begin the task of working toward becoming a team. I always tell them it is a long project every day that you make just a little progress it is a win. Then there are those days that the animal may be not feeling well, they have to treat or doctor it.
There are those times every thing is going great and you go to work with them and notice all that hair you have worked so hard to train was rubbed off over night, you start over.
You learn that taking short cuts does not net the same results as doing it the right way.
You make friends with people you would have never even met if you had not done the project. People, that 30 years later, are still your friends.
We are Proud of all the kids and their accomplishments. The kids we sponsored this year plus the ones from the past years who just keep doing great things.
Thank you all for supporting Curren's Cows Foundation and the kids that thrive through the program.
