06/28/2026
Found it! If you have ever coached, mentored or helped a young person with showing livestock, this post may resonate. There is a certain quality…an “it factor”… a confidence that you have to have to compete at the highest levels of showmanship. A few kids have it naturally, but most others have to find it. I have never been able to put it into words.
This young woman recently found it. She has been able to set lambs perfectly for years, but struggled to get placed near the top. The look she now has, was earned. That look only comes when you know in your heart you have put in everything you could. You did the daily work, worked on the hard things, and listened intently to others. That look was earned through learning to handle disappointment and humbly shaking the hand of competitors that won. Finally, and most importantly, this young woman knows that having Jesus in her heart means more than what some guy in khaki pants says on a microphone. This look means that she knows who she is, she knows she has done her best, and she knows she is a child of God. When you find it, no one can ever take it from you. I may offer a few tips in the future, but my work here is done. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your journey.
