The Sports feature photo I decided to include is this picture of a racehorse from a track meet at Churchill Downs. It may seem unconventional to use a photo of a racehorse and his handlers and groom as my sports feature photo, but growing up around horses on my family’s ranch, and riding before I could walk, I have a deep rooted fondness for these four-legged athletes and the talented horsemen and women behind them. I have the privilege of owning two race horses myself and have never met two horses with more heart, passion, drive, and personality than Big Boy and Slammer. So I wanted to capture a moment that I felt captured my love for the sport, the behind the scenes, the moments no one sees, the calm before the storm, the horse preparing for war.
The second photo titled “Girl Power” is something very dear to my heart. Livestock Judging has very much so been dominated by men, but in recent years, women have taken the scene by storm. So much so, that the second most successful judge in collegiate Livestock Judging history is a woman. Not to mention that for the first time in history, a woman judged the Hog show at the National Western. This photo captures girl power in every sense of the word, and tells the story of young women making their mark. This photo embodies my hard work and all women judges everywhere, and tells a small chapter in our long story.
Helping hand shows the kindness of two strangers, one helping the other. It shows that just because you’re not on the same team or from the same school, that you can still root for each other’s success. A lesson not learned enough in today’s society.
Coach knows best shows a coach handling a sheep. It shows that no matter how old or experienced someone is, there is always something to learn, something that everyone can keep in mind.
Practice makes permanent shows a young girl working on a set of reasons. The title comes from a saying my coach here at UW said to us. You perform how you practice, and you practice like you perform. I think a work ethic like this young girl’s is a rare quality in so many her age, and something that was so refreshing to see.
My Life Through Agriculture 