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