You know you are tired when it is still extremely difficult to get up in the morning after sleeping a full 12 hours the night before! I just got back into College Station yesterday evening from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This past week I had the great opportunity to serve as an Aggie Student Intern for the 2010 HLSR Steer Show. After arriving on Sunday afternoon, we began the race of a very exciting and exhausting week! With more than 1,600 steer exhibitors, we definitely had our work cut out for us. As tired as I was (and still am), I had such a great week and wouldn’t have traded it for anything!
Looking back, the highlight of the internship was every moment that I was able to work and interact with the exhibitors. I was able to see a lot of old friends and I especially adored watching the little kids work so hard to show such a large animal! After three long days of the steer show, Friday night was it… the selection of the 2010 Grand Champion Steer of the Show. As all of the nervous kids anxiously walked their Champion steer to the rodeo, one young ladies life was about to be greatly impacted. Mackenzie Elrod was the blessed 15 year old owner of this year’s Grand Champion Steer. I realize that you could probably search the web for more about Mackenzie and her steer, but the most important part about this young lady will likely not be mentioned in any news release you might read.
I remember giggling when Judge Randy Daniels originally put Mackenzie in the first place position and she asked me “Is this good?” Of course I told her it was, and tried to explain where she would lead her steer next. At the conclusion of the class I made sure she realized that she had just won the class when in a surprised tone she replied “Really??” The next time I was able to talk to Mackenzie was Saturday morning before she would sell her beautiful black and white steer. She came up to me and thanked and hugged me for helping her in the ring. As we talked a little about her previous show experiences, she explained that in the five years she has shown she has been last every time. Her first time to show at Houston and she was selected as the Grand Champion Steer. Of course I am always happy for anyone who wins a show, but this time was a special exception. It doesn’t get much better than a great steer coupled with an absolute precious young lady, who was so genuinely thankful of her experience. When the auctioneer asked Mackenzie who she wanted to thank, God was at the top of her list.
I tell you all of this for one simple reason, its kids just like Mackenzie that my hat goes off to. I can assure you that as a family affair, this young lady deserves full credit for the success she recently earned. As a home-schooled student, she didn’t cut any corners for this highly sought title, nor was she in any way arrogant about such a HUGE honor! Not only this, but it was only out of the kindness of her heart that she felt the need to thank me like she did. I didn’t do much for her, yet she felt it was important. In the show circuit, I love love love to see sweet, deserving young people like this win. Needless to say, she absolutely made my day!
As I begin to catch up on sleep, I will head back to Houston again tomorrow to work the Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest. After that… I’m headed HOME! I can hardly wait to spend the last few days of my Spring Break with the friends and family that I love the most. I hope each of you have a fun and safe week as well.
Be Blessed,
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