Defining Success

I've been attending livestock shows my entire life, whether with my own livestock, helping someone else, participating in the judging contests or during the last 11 years representing the American Angus Association. I guess you could say shows are in my blood. And, as an exhibitor, I loved to win...who doesn't? But I also brought home my share of those "off-colored" ribbons and stood places in class I don't even care to remember. I always remember my dad saying, "If you don't want to get beat, don't go out into the ring," and "This weekend it is one judge's opinion; live with it, and next weekend, we'll have another show and a different judge."

So, now that I'm more in the show management mode, I get a bad taste in my mouth when I see grown men and women act childish because they didn't win their class or division. I guess their parents didn't share with them the same advice that dear old dad did with me. But, this past week in Phoenix, I witnessed something so AWESOME, I wanted to share it with you all.

First, it was refreshing to have a younger judge who did a great job evaluating all the cattle, and who said something positive about each animal in the ring. Phoenix is an ROV (point show) for the Angus breed, and we did have a large, competitive show, with cattle from Oregon, California, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona.

There was one rough and tumble couple from the Southwest whom I'd met the year previous who doesn't exhibit at other Angus ROV shows, but they come to Phoenix with a big string of Herefords and a few Angus. They aren't polished by any means, but they ended up in the largest class of the day--the Jan/Feb bull calf class. Once it was placed, they were third in class. As the lady lead their third place bull calf out of the ring, the judge Jake Scott talked about his merits being ideal for the range and the commercial cowman. The man in his faded jeans, scuffed up boots and bandana around his neck beamed from ear to ear and exclaimed, "Baby, that's as good as winning grand champion!" As I was working in the line up area, I couldn't help but hear his words and see both of their smiles. No, she wasn't carrying a purple banner or even a blue ribbon. But she was carrying the satisfaction of hearing one judge's kind words, and knowing she had beat six other bulls in class that day.

As we go through life, how do define success? Is it always being number 1? Is it winning the trophy? Or is it knowing that we did our very best? Or like this couple, hearing someone say something nice about us or the product we raise?

I know at the end of my life, the banners will be faded and the trophies tarnished, but I will never forget the kind words that are said about me.