Blog

This blog is about my daughter Nicole and her journey through the next two years. She participated in the calf scramble at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and won. Now she has a heifer that she has to raise and train better than everyone else who will be at the next show, in order to win. She recently became president of her high school FFA and took on the monumental task of raising a steer in addition to the heifer. Her adventures are just beginning so come along for the ride.

Theodore Roosevelt

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

~Theodore Roosevelt

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

In Good Company

When it's 104 degrees and you've got to walk a heifer three miles, it's really nice to have some company. Robert is Nicole's boyfriend and I'm thinking that if he is willing and able to keep up with these two girls on a day like this, then he's a keeper. Walking like this every day  teaches Chloe to follow Nicole's lead which is important for taking her through an arena. She is also building up muscle and taking a refreshing break from the pen. Come on cooler weather!

Monday, August 23, 2010

And Then There Was One

It's just you and me, kid.

So Long Curly Top

After far too many failed attempts by many to teach him to lead, we have deemed Trump unfit to show. The bigger he grows, the more dangerous he is becoming and we fear he will seriously injure Nicole. Regardless of the trouble he may have caused, he will be sorely missed. It was a sad day for Nicole when he left to go back home. Happy trails Trump.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Nicole Represents Bryan FFA in Washington DC

Nicole at the FFA Washington Leadership Conference!


The Bryan FFA chapter, along with hundreds of other chapters across the country, recently sent their President and Star Greenhands to WLC for a week of extremely motivational leadership instruction.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Life Lessons

Nicole is teaching Chloe to walk with her on a lead rope and making that task look easy. When Chloe is grown she will outweigh Nicole by nearly a ton and she will still be walking along beside her on this rope. In order for Chloe to walk flawlessly beside Nicole in the shows, there has to be an abundance of trust and confidence in both of them. In order for those things to develop, there has to be an abundance of patience and determination, also in both of them. These are lessons that they both will benefit from for their entire lives.

Monday, August 2, 2010

The Cows Come Home!

Say Cheese!!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Nicole Becomes President!

Nicole is now President of the Bryan FFA. This photo was taken after her first introduction as President, giving her first order of business. She has a lot of exciting plans to help her group grow and prosper. Nicole spent her Sophomore year as Sentinel and now is hoping for a successful Junior year as President so that she may be elected again in her Senior year.


Monday, July 26, 2010

She Named Him Trump

trump [truhmp] –verb (used with object) to excel; surpass; outdo.


Trump is a Charolais steer from the same ranch as his best friend Chloe Beth. This picture was taken on county tag-in day and he was more than a little apprehensive. He is typically a laid back kind of guy but that day he showed us he can be stubborn if he wants to. Bless his heart, he didn't want his ears pierced.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Chloe Beth

She is a pure-bred (via In Vitro) Beefmaster heifer from RLR Cattle Company in Madisonville Texas. She was hand-picked by the breeder as the one to win grand champion. This photo was taken the first time we saw her, when she was still too little to be removed from her mother. When she is grown, she will be absolutely stunning. And now, Nicole is her registered owner.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

The day it all began..

Nicole stands with me, her father and her step-dad after being awarded the 'hard luck' prize. She caught a calf by the tail and was drug around the arena until a judge had her let go to avoid injury. At that time another girl grabbed her calf and took off with it. Because of her fierce determination, Nicole was considered a winner and was given a $1500.00 certificate to buy her heifer! She will raise the heifer and return to show it in the next Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.