Lilly the Bovine!

June 24th through the 30th, Grand Island, Nebraska...American Junior Shorthorn Association is putting on "Gateway to the West" for numerous exhibitors expanding from countless states and Australia. Mom, Tiffany, state booth display, state basket, arts and crafts, luggage, four head of cattle, tack and gear, myself and snack were all there and accounted for. For one of my heifers this was going to be one of her last select shows. Now Lilly is not a Sullivans heifer by any means but you can not put a price tag on a showmanship heifer. Almost two years on the circuit this heifer has been by my side through it all with a successful career in Texas and we are about to walk into intermediate showmanship competing against the best in the nation. No biggie right? I assume if I make it the first cuts I will be ecstatic! We have 9 heats of at least 15-20 exhibitors in each. Lilly and I really felt like we had the odds in our favor (sarcastic voice). How could the judges not like a blonde hair blue eyed Texan with a velvety roan heifer? While in the show ring I go though my mental checklist...."okay Victoria breathe, happy, calm...oh man dog the judge get his attention...okay pshew, alright profile turn, one...two...three...turn, cow stops, watching back feet, BAM. Yes Lilly perfect! Nope wait let me inspect, feet are scissored perfectly, where is the judge?! It's okay they are just in two different sides of the ring...check the tail, draw the judges attention, wait for it....loin NOW...gone..think cool calm collective.." All of this is preformed in the matter of a few minutes depending on the layout of the ring and the pace Lilly and the ring leader is walking. As I tell myself well mom is content in the stands, Tiffany hasn't gotten on to me for doing anything so I've got this! Well sure enough I did. After 45 minutes in finals they narrowed it down to the top five and I got selected! Later at the banquet Lilly ended up helping me swing a fourth place out of 100 something exhibitors. From calling her name in the pasture and her talking back to mentally knowing when she will move a foot that will need to be fixed in an x amount of time, you could call me a cattle whisperer.

Lilly and I in the final drive!



My little champ grabbing some zzz's...



Top 5!