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Once again, the ADCA Youth Committee members were happy to see the hard work and dedication this years applicants put into their knowledge and promotion of Dexter Cattle. We had fewer applications this year than last but the quality of the applications we did receive were admirable. We have included this years winners’ essays for your enjoyment – keeping in mind that the essay questions are just a small part of the application process. We have also included the acceptance letters/speeches that these young men gave. We hope that more youth will apply for the prestigious award next year. The youth committee is currently working on proposed changes in the ADCA Youth Program and would welcome volunteers who are interested to become part of the youth committee to assist us in developing a current and proactive program to help youth become interested and active within or association.
The 2010 Senior Division Winner is 16 year old Josh Hall of Terrell, Texas Josh’s Essay: Hello, my name is Josh Hall; I am 16 years old and am in the 10th grade this year. Our family was introduced to the Dexter breed mid last year by a lady who sold us one of her cows. At first, I must admit, I wondered, “What on earth are those little cows good for?” But in the months that followed, I have come to adore our Dexters, especially our polled, red bull, Dozer, and Brook, the black heifer that I showed in Houston this year. I have
learned quite a few things from working with, and just being around the
cows; so I will name a few off the top of my head. One: Responsibility, I
was the only one responsible for the training of my heifer (Brook) in
preparing for the HLSR. I spent one and one-half hours with Brook 5 days a
week, all through the fall and winter, right up to the show. Looking back…
I really enjoyed the experience. Two: Determination, sometimes Brook could
not seem to understand something, a certain movement, a turn, but I had to
keep trying until she figured it out. Three: Commitment, I had to be
willing to give up my time, go outside, and spend time with Brook, brush
her, wash her, feed her, work with her, etc. If I had to explain to someone what a Dexter is, assuming that they had never heard of the breed before, I would tell them different things depending on the reason for their interest. For example, if I were talking to someone interested in the beef value of the cattle, I would make note of the ability to harvest more beef per acre when using Dexters as opposed to using some of the larger breeds that require more pastures. I would also mention the fact that Dexters are bred to as not to need to be fed out all year round, as do all of the larger cattle. With Dexters, as long as you have enough grass, you could have a nicely conditioned steer by slaughter, having never given it a single pound of grain. Another bonus is, Dexter mothers also rarely ever need to have their calves pulled, according to experienced Dexter ranch owners. However, if I were talking to someone who was just looking for a great family cow (possibly for milking also), I would tell them of the gentle nature of the Dexter breed; the bulls are docile, the cows are great mothers who generally love a good petting, and of course, the calves are cute and fun to be around. And if they wanted to go tax exempt on some pasture land, buy several Dexters (one or two steers for your own beef), put them in the pasture.., problem solved. By using Dexter steers, a family will never “overload” their freezer. So naturally, depending on who I was talking to, I would point out different things, depending on their interest. And last but not least, I would encourage the individual to visit the ADCA website and learn more about Dexters. After I go through college, and begin to settle down (possibly with a family), I want to have my own Dexter ranch. If for some reason I could not begin building a herd, I would at least want to own a few steers for beef. Hopefully, though, I will live out in the country and be able to start my own operation. One of the most interesting things that has changed my thinking, is the way beef is raised. I have realized that there is a way to raise the cattle, without stuffing them full of feed (as does some of the larger breeds). The cattle in the feedlot situations are really disgusting and unhealthy. All the medication that has to be included in the steers’ (Angus, etc.) daily feed, is given to keep the sick animal from just dying in the pasture. Then, we eat the meat, and with it, a bunch of medications that are prescribed to cattle, not human beings. Just to let you better understand what I mean, some of the cattle, when slaughtered, are found to have had their stomachs blown apart due to excessive feeding and in some cases, disease. With Dexters, however, one can raise their beef the original way, raise them to be healthy for human consumption. Like it was mentioned earlier, with Dexters, as long as you have some good pastures, your steers will weigh in nicely. After all, the original way is the Dexter way. I feel that I deserve the Chris Odom Memorial Award as Junior of the Year because as President of the Kaufman County-Liners 4-H Club, I have done as much as I can to promote the Dexter breed among youth and adults alike at our club meetings. I showed a heifer at HLSR and we have also attended the Kaufman County Fair this year and showed our heifers there, and it was, for most of the people at the fair, their first time to see a Dexter. They were received with great interest. We also took our heifers to the Terrell Heritage Jubilee and let people feed and pet them. Thank you for taking the time to read this essay. Hope to see you at some of the future shows or meetings. Have a good year and God bless.- Joshua Hall
Hello everyone,
The Junior Division Winner of the Chris Odom Award is Jackson Neal Jackson’s Essay: I got started showing Dexters in 2007 through 4H. I was six years old. Mrs. Sally and Mr. Warren Coad taught me how to show cattle by letting me come to their farm. First, they taught me how to walk a heifer and set her up. Then, I learned how to tie and wash cattle. Vance County Fair was my first show with cattle . I learned sportsmanship by working with Dexters. I learned that you lose without blaming and win without boasting. It don’t matter about winning or losing it is about having fun. I have learned that Dexters can be calm. When the cows get use to me I can wash them and clip them. They taught me how to be calm and not run or jump near the cows. My favorite thing about the Dexters is that they are small. I like to be taller than the cow so it thinks I’m the boss. The Dexters are calm and don’t move much. They are the right size for me to show. If
someone asks me about Dexters then I would tell them they are small and calm
and confident. The Dexters are small because of the Irish breed. Dexters
are very calm because when I wash them they are calm. The Dexters are
confident because they are prepared for whatever happens. The Dexters come
in three different colors which are black, dun, and red. The most popular is
black and rarest is red. They are good for milk and beef and work. The
Dexters have rich milk. They have lean beef. The Dexters can work hard and
pull logs and stuff. Dexters don’t take a lot room or eat a lot so you can
have more on your farm.
Yes I plan to continue to work with Dexters when I’m an adult. I hope my kids can show Dexters just like I do. I want to teach kids about Dexters. I am going to market Dexters over the years for beef. I am going to be a large animal service vet so I can work with Dexters. My involvement with Dexters has changed my life by taking me to new places I’ve never been and allowing me to meet new people. I had never been Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Iowa, or South Carolina until I started showing Dexters. I have met new people showing. Dexters taught me about Dexters and other breeds. I have learned so much about Dexters and now I can teach others that never heard about Dexters. Dexters made me want to be a vet. I want to give shots to cattle. I’m going to work night hours.
I feel that I deserve the Chris Odom Memorial Award as Junior Exhibitor of the Year because I have shown Dexters since I was six years old, so I have shown them for four years. The people that I find that don’t know about Dexters, I tell them about Dexters . I have been to shows all over the USA. I worked very hard with Dexters this year and last year. I break my Dexters myself and work hard to show them so that everyone else will want to show Dexters like me. Jackson Neal Thank you. My name is Jackson Neal and I am 9 years old and live in White Level, North Carolina. I started showing Dexters when I was 5 years old. Mr. Warren and Ms. Sally Coad taught me how to show cows. The cows taught me a lot of things such as responsibility and how to work hard and have a good time. I would like to thank Mr. Warren and Ms. Sally for all they have done to help me with getting involved with Dexters. I would also like to thank Mr. David Marik for helping me as well. I want to thank the committee for selecting me as the winner of the year’s Chris Odom award. This award means a lot to me. I plan to continue to show Dexters as I get older and to continue to tell people about the Dexter breed. When I get older, my plans are to go to NC State Vet school and become a veterinarian. I plan to use my money from this award to go towards buying more Dexters to continue to show. Thank you very much. - Jackson Neal
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