Today, my daughter entered the labyrinthine world of Dairy Cow Showing, but she wasn’t entering alone.
My wife has blazed a trail for her. So significant is dairy showmanship to my wife’s identity that Alex Trebek asked her about it on Jeopardy in the show’s obligatory get-to-know-the-contestant segment.
A cloud of family witnesses surrounded my daughter for her inaugural presentation. Her aunts, uncles, grandfather, and parents were sitting ringside. Moreover, her beloved oldest cousin walked beside her as she led the cow around.
The type of cow? Jersey. The number of kids competing in this showmanship category? Three. My daughter’s final standing? Third.
“I’m just real proud of this exceptional group of dairy youth,” said the judge. The judge liked the word “exceptional,” though he robbed the word of its power by using it so much.
He did say one thing that stuck with my daughter. “If I judge you again, I’d love to see you lead the cow on your own.”
From your lips to God’s ears, sir.
You have to start somewhere.
Learning Together 