Fresh Start

Sometimes in life we reach a point where we beg to get a fresh start, a new outlook on life.  Whether it is in our jobs or with the situations we are in.  Livestock kids know this feeling the best.  Whether it is selling that one that has been the sweetest and the most fun to go work with and it just about breaking your heart. Or it is turning that show heifer out to pasture to be a cow that has been the biggest pain since you started showing her at three months old.  We all have those and life throws those moments at us each day.  2014 had been a crazy blur in a lot of cases, and there are many memories I would just assume leave here, but at the same time the great memories are here too.  Each moment you get a fresh start and if you mentally decide that you are going to take the positive route then you choose a fresh start. After the crazy year that it has been here, I have taken some time to really focus on who I am as a person, as a coach, and just in terms of life itself, I have been countlessly reminded how blessed I am.  Whether it is the farm, my amazing family, my readers, my friends, and last but not least my kids.  We each choose our path, I hope that you can find the path less traveled, and sometimes dimly lit, that is the one that will lead you where you want to go.

With that being said, let's get back to this fresh start.  I am so excited about the year that is before us.  I have a great group of kids, we have added new families to the team, and we have added new members to our working side of the team.  We have new and exciting things to come in 2015, but we are going to kick '14 out with a bang.

If you have been struggling, whether it be with your new calf not cooperating just the way that it should or you have been unable to locate that one that fits your operation please contact us.  Whether you are near or far we have options to help make this years goals become reality.  For the kids in my group already, be watching your challenges are coming and if you think I pushed you last year you haven't seen anything yet!

The lesson that is going to go along with this blog is one that is a tough one.  Whether you have grown up around showing livestock or are new to the game there is always some underlying life lesson that you don't even realize is happening until many many years down the road.  One of those is show friendships.

When you travel and show as much as we have over the years there are families that you become close to, families that you stall with every year on the show circuit, or at the county or state fair.  These people become your friends and you find yourselves in "off - season" counting down the days until you see them again every weekend.  This is where the lesson comes in. At the stalls everyone works together, as multiple families travel together you learn when to stay out of the way of the proverbial "family - moment" or when it is good to try to step in and help, but what happens when you show up and they have a calf in the same division as you, or one that you are going to to end up showing in the same class as all year.  Or, you have changed showmanship divisions and suddenly you are showing against each other all weekend long.  How as a young person does that get handled?  Well let me tell you, it isn't easy.  When you walk to the ring side with this friend that you have come so close to you prepare in the same way, when you walk in the ring you go out there to compete the best way you know how, don't worry varying opinions of judges could change the outcome from one ring to the next, and when you come out you congratulate one another and nothing has changed. The key in all of this is never sacrifice your ability to make someone else happy.  Everytime you walk in that ring you drive like it is for the big win.

This is your chance at a fresh start, be sure to give it your all, and contact me for any all of your livestock coaching needs! Be Keeping an eye out for some exciting announcements and changes coming to KALS!

Summer Rush

It was brought to my attention by one of my readers that she was concerned about me because I had been kind of quiet the last few months!  That may be an understatement for me.  My days are consumed by my big kid job and my evenings spent in the barns checking with my kids, or out enjoying the fact that I am 25 healthy, and totally blessed.

I do have to brag on my kids.  The pictures will come later, but I have been blessed with some amazing families to work with.  There were events that transpired differently than we had hoped, there were goals we reached even with our naysayers in our ears telling us there was no way that we could do it. We reached landmarks with some of my kids, we ended careers, but it I would not have changed the journey for anything.

Before I get all sappy, I just want to say that if you are out there and your kids are showing livestock or want to show livestock they have the opportunity to be a part of this too.  I am always taking on new families, whether it is one session or you want to become a part of the K.A. Livestock Service Team, we can find the fit for you.

Results for the 2014 Season as of July 26th

Maine Anjou/ Chianina Junior Nationals
Chi Intermediate Showmanship - Abbey Pitstick
Maine Senior Showmanship - Cameron Alexander & Kaitlyn Carey
Bred & Owned Division - Cameron Alexander
2nd in Class - Abbey Pitstick

Clinton County Fair
Reserve 14 Year Old Sheep Showman - Olivia Wood
Supreme Beef Showman - Olivia Wood
Third Overall Senior Showman - Kaitlyn Carey
Champion Intermediate Showman - Avery Wood
Reserve Grand Champion Homegrown Lamb - Olivia Wood
Reserve Feeder Steer - Kaitlyn Carey
Grand Champion County Raised/ HomeGrown Breeding Heifer - Kaitlyn Carey
Supreme Champion Female (Champion AOB)- Kaitlyn Carey
Reserve Supreme Female (Champion Commercial) - Avery Wood

Fayette County Fair
Supreme Champion Female - Jacob Sears (Raised by Alexander Show Cattle/ Pilot Knob Enterprises)

Ohio State Fair
Grand Champion Bred & Owned Maine Anjou Female - Kaitlyn Carey

Good luck to my "little" (I use the term loosely) brother Cameron and Kaitlyn Carey today in their exhibitions at the Ohio State Fair Open Maine Anjou Show.

If you want to be a part of this contact us at kalivestockservice@gmail.com.

Kaitlyn Carey, you have brought me to tears.  I can't tell you how proud I am of you.  The last seven years with you on our team has been amazing.  This being your final year of 4-H has proven no different.  I know there are some goals we didn't reach, but there have been some that we never dreamed would come and you made them happen.  You have been an absolute joy to have on the team and I hope you stick around even though you are old now.  Kate is a vet student now at the University of Findlay and made both the North American and the National Western Stock show teams for the University. 

Abbigail Pitstick and CKA Darcy - Raised by Cameron Alexander - Alexander Show Cattle/Pilot Knob Ent.  Abbigail has done an amazing job all year with Darcy.  Abbey has never shown anything, and she made the cut at the Chi Junior Nationals this summer as well as worked her way to three top ten finishes in the BEST Program. Thank you to the Pitstick family for all of their hard work, and dedication

Congratulations to the Sears Family this is their second year with me. I am so proud of this young man and his improvement and hard work over the last year! Great job Jake & Stella.  This calf was raised by me out of my last Jr. Maine Anjou, she's a Monopoly x Sooner Son.

Oliva & Avery Wood you guys are awesome.  This family has been friends for years and came to me for assistance when they went from exhibiting sheep to exhibiting beef cattle.  They rocked the BEST program all season and continued it right on into the summer. The Quallen Family was also part of our adventure this winter and Haley was always adding a laugh and 'W' to the team!

I would not change what I do for anything.  Thank you to all of my 2014 Families can't wait to see your pictures next year!

Calm Before The Storm

This morning I am sitting in a hotel in Pennsylvania looking at my schedule and this time truly is the calm before the next storm.  March 30th we completed an amazing whirlwind year in the BEST program. On our final weekend out we 5th overall heifer with Cameron's crossbred "Rosa" and "Midge" aka Ali was Reserve Mainetainer.  The Haley & Oliva did great with their heifers Abby and Darcy were 3rd their highest placing of the year, we had 3rd, 4th and 5th overall novice showman one day and Grand and Reserve on Sunday, there were also some lessons learned that day.  Nonetheless, I am so proud of these kids, their level of commitment, their drive to support one another, and the friendships that they have built is more than I could ever teach them in the show ring. I won't lie, internally I got a little emotional inside as I watched them that Sunday, they have all got a long way in their learning and processing, but they have all taken their goals and blown them out of the water in most cases, many have made such huge strides that goals are important but we are celebrating positive steps.
As we go into our summer season we have Junior Nationals, County Fairs, State Fair, and lots of practice sessions!!  Before that storm hits, I want to say thank you to some very special people.  My parents, without them I wouldn't have the knowledge and abilities to teach the kids the things I have.  My other half, Tad Francis, your support, and all of your fitting and clipping skills would not have been able to be as successful or dedicated to the kids as I have.  Cameron, well you will always be my little brother, but it has been fun to watch you grow, watching you and Tad work as a team, and helping me out when he was gone.  Lauren, you came in later in the game, but have always offered entertainment, most at your expense but fun nonetheless. Katie, I know you didn't get to come to many shows but I am so proud of you and thankful to have had the opportunity to watch you grow into one of the most amazing people I know. My families, the returning Cluxton and Sears Families. My newbies the Pitstick, Quallen, and Woods Families all of your commitments to your kids and to the quality of their projects.  Thank you all.  So excited to add some lambs and families to my summer team, and we are so ready to rock the spring and summer shows.
There is still time to add your name to our line up.  Contact me today for more information about joining the team.

Making Dreams Reality

From the time I started 4-H we always set down, made a list of goals we had and projects we were going to take.  There were always dreams of winning this or that, but there were baby steps that had to be taken to get there.  When I started working with kids I did the same thing with them, that my parents had done with me.  I believe that this method keeps everyone from getting burnt out and looking realistically at what one can accomplish in a year. At the start of the new show season last year if someone had told me that the group of kids that I have this year would come as far as they have as fast as they have, I would have told them they were crazy.  Man, would I have been wrong.  Now, there are some shows that you go to, it doesn't matter how well you do all along, all bets are off you flat don't know what is going to happen.  The Ohio Beef Expo, is that show for us usually, at least for me anyway.  Here is where my disclaimer comes: ***I am going to brag on my kids, but it means nothing about me taking more on. It doesn't matter how many kids I have they each have individual goals, and dreams, and ideas of where they want to go with this.*** If I revert to my show career for a moment, I had successfully made the top ten at the Beef Expo, twice (my last two years). I had two breed champion/ reserve breed champions, one in 2003 and one my last year.  It was a dream of mine to win showmanship at the Beef Expo.  My little brother did it, man was I proud.  Jared did it after just one practice session with me, I was amazed.  This weekend Olivia did it, I was completely overcome.  Now, I may never have done it on my own, but watching these kids have the ability and the strengths to do it, makes all those years of feeling completely defeated after the Beef Expo totally worth it. But trust me, there can still only be one winner, and that's what makes it fun.  Hailey, one of my other students, didn't win, but she was in the top ten in her division, huge accomplishment, and wouldn't trade the opportunity to work with her for anything.  My three other girls that didn't make the cut, but have made huge strides in their abilities in the ring, I am so proud of them.  It all goes back to making dreams and goals reality.  We all have different goals, and if we all had the same one there would be a lot of disappointed kids in the show ring.  Does everyone want to win, of course, but when this ones steer is a different style because it is going to a different show than the next one.  Katie, I need to brag on as well.  She is a fifth or sixth year member of our group, she is a freshman in college, and what a role model she is for any kid, but especially my group.  This kid has never let defeat get her down, and she stepped up this year, her last year in 4-H when she could be in cut -throat mode.  This weekend she was cheering on kids that will be her competition, with out a doubt in her mind.  Katie, is a Freshman in a pre-vet program, she was a kid that was raised in town that has taken an opportunity to be involved in 4-H and turned it into a lifestyle, and we couldn't be more proud of her.  All of the kids accomplishments are making my dreams reality, because they are successful, and that is all I want for them.  Whether they are in the classroom, the barn, the ring, on a field, or in life I want them to be happy and successful.  Sometimes it takes years to realize the successes that come from defeats, I saw a glimpse of mine this past weekend, and I couldn't be happier.  Remember 4-H deadlines for Clinton County is April 1st.  We are still accepting paperwork, but it will be going to the office no later than a week from today.  Let us know how we can help you, or your child(rens) dreams reality. Contact me today, I will come talk to 4-H clubs, cattlemen's/ women's organizations, classes, let me know how we can work for you. Happy Thursday!!!

No Man Stands Alone

I learned a long time ago that it is important to have someone backing you no matter what you were doing.  I learned a long time ago that the "team" behind you didn't have to be conventional to make everything worth while.  When I started showing we had people who helped us, I had older kids that I looked up to, but my parents taught me the value of hard work.  I now get to spend my spare time helping people getting into the cattle business.  I currently have four families that I have been spending the larger majority of my time with.  Four of the five kids are the same age (freshman) in high school, three girls one boy.  We have shown four shows with all of them one has attended six weekends and the fourth has attended five weekends.  Last Friday, on our weekend off the kids all wanted to practice, so instead of having individual sessions I decided to make it our own version of Friday night lights.  The better part of three hours we practiced, it was intense, but I saw something else growing.  These kids right before my eyes were developing my theory of no man stands alone.

They go to three different schools, they live in four different counties, and Saturday night they were having a sleep over to go to a school play.  They have created friendships that will help them survive the cruel world of high school.  They have someone to turn to when life gets them down. These kids are competitors, they are each others challenges in one breath and best friends in the next.  They have all experienced successes and failures, together.

I can't tell you where these kids will be ten years from now. I don't know what they will be when they get done with college, what their GPA will be. I can tell you that their studies come before practice. I can tell you that if they need help in other aspects of life or just a way to get away, they have that in this program. I can tell you that no matter where they will not be going there alone.

I didn't get to post yesterday, because I had three fabulous little girls at the farm for their first 4-H meeting as clover buds. These three little girls may never set foot in the show ring, that is their choice.  However, they are on the road to building their foundations away from home.  They have a long time before they leave, but they have a lot of backing todo what ever they want.
If you, or your kids are in a place that they need help or they are just starting out, and need guidance. Contact me, we build everything around the kids short term and long term goals, so we are never pushing them to a place where they are overwhelmed, but they are constantly being pushed.

Top Left: 4-H Club Cloverbuds learning to tie halters; Top Center: Abi, Taryn, & Bella checking out the baby donkeys; top right: Olivia (left) & Jake (second from left) lined up in their top ten finish at the Wilmington BEST show; center Olivia (second from the left) Abbigail (second from the right) in their top ten finishes at the Wilmington BEST Show; Bottom Center: Melissa (my mom) and Abi learning how to halter a "Calf"; Bottom Center: Curtis getting his pre-showmanship pep talk his first time in the ring with a lamb; Bottom Right: Brooklyn, Abi, & Bella brushing Brooklyn's heifer at the County Fair.

Everyone Has to Start Some Where

It had been one of my new years resolutions to start a blog. I had done quite well for the first few days, but found myself running out of things to write about, or unsure of what to put out there.  The first week in February I got the privilege to attend the 2014 Cattlemen's Industry Conference (CIC) in Nashville, Tennessee.  To start if you have never been to a CIC GO!! You will love it!!!  I was sitting in a leadership meeting for the American National CattleWomen, and they introduce a "mommy blogger", whoa slow down, new to this whole blogging thing I was not sure how to take this.  She stands up and introduces herself and says but everyone knows me as mommyhatescooking.  Well to be honest I looked up, because I wanted to be sure my mom (who is an excellent cook, but hates to cook) hadn't shown up in Nashville.  Kristy started her blog out of her hatred for cooking, in order to hold herself accountable for learning to cook and find new recipes.  Well let me just say Thank You to  mommyhatescooking for two things;1). I have found my love of cooking again since you inspired me to start, and that anyone can do it; 2). Inspiring me to challenge myself to fling myself into the blogging world.  With that go checkout www.mommyhatescooking.com, and I am going to introduce myself.  I am Livestock Coach Kayla,  a ten year 4-H Member, four FFA Member, active Ohio and American National Cattleowoman, with a passion for kids, and showing livestock.  My show career started at the age of seven with two heifer (Rose, and Precious) that were leased to me by a family friend.  From that my passion for livestock may be seen as spiraling out of control or a 4-H project that went wrong.  We now have a fifty head cow calf operation that is run completely by three generations of my family.  My brother and I also showed sheep, hogs, and goats at the national level for many years.  Now that I have graduated college, returned to the farm, and have my big kid job I spend my weekends and evenings coaching kids all over the country, and all experience levels on everything from show selection, to selecting genetics to raise your own calf.  I fully enjoy a challenge, and I hope that someone out there has one for me.  I am in the process of building a website and Facebook page for my kids that I have coached to share their experiences.  If you are interested in learning more about what it is we do please don't hesitate to contact me.  I am blessed to have my family involvement as well as the blessing of my very talented boyfriend Tad to make this operation work.  Here is my entrance to the blogging world, everyone has to start somewhere.  Take your step today, make yourself better challenge yourself.  If you or your children want to go to the next level of showmanship you have to start somewhere. Good Luck! 

Top Left: Coach Kayla w/ KA 8051 Sheza HeartBreaker 002 2013 NAILW; Top Center: Coach Kayla w/ H ASM 743 Mindy 007 and friends she met on the Midway at the Ohio State Fair circa 2011; Top Right Tad; Center Left Tanner (Tad's youngest brother) and their little cousin Hailey with "Black Beauty" Tanner was one of my students; Middle: Brooklyn my youngest student started at 4 pictured at 7 with KA 719 Maxine 001 NAILE 2013; Center Right; two newest students left Olivia, middle me, right Hailey both new to showing cattle and have been strong competitors in the Ohio BEST Circuit; Bottom left: me and my AussiexLab "Shaniqua"; Bottom Right; Brooklyn  Maxine and I at NAILE 2013