Full Circle in Kansas City

V8 Shorthorns Make a Strong Return at the American Royal Junior Heifer Show

The first time I showed at the American Royal was in 1993. I was ten years old, leading a heifer named BBS Lady Lucky B230, or “LP.” She was entering her fall show season after an exciting summer, during which she’d been named Reserve Grand Champion at the Shorthorn Junior Nationals under Judge Dave Duello. (Sidenote: Within the last year, Dad and I had one of those “best judge ever” conversations. He said Dave Duello. High praise!)

That trip to Kansas City was just my parents and me. The judge that year was Dr. Dave Nichols of Kansas State University, who, fittingly enough, makes another appearance later in this story. It was my first time showing at the American Royal, early in my show career, really just my first couple of seasons with Shorthorn cattle, and I remember how big everything felt. Even the name “The American Royal” sounded so grand, so full of pomp and circumstance. As a kid, I felt like I was in high cotton. LP won Grand Champion Female, and to ten-year-old me, that was about as thrilling as it got.

Junior Show Day

The American Royal Junior Show was judged by Krisha Geffert, a new name to me. I’ve been out of the haired cattle world for nearly a decade, so there are a lot of faces I’m still getting to know. I did my pre-show research and heard nothing but good things about her, and now that I’ve shown under her, I can say the same.

I love seeing women judges in the ring, but I’ll be honest — I want to see women there because they’ve earned it. I love the Barbie movie as much as anyone, but I want the women in those positions to have the chops. Krisha does.

She judged fast — which I appreciate as an exhibitor and as the mom of a very young one — and she was sharp, positive, and confident. Watching the recap reel later, I couldn’t help but say out loud, “That judge is a badass.”

And wouldn’t you know, Knox and Bill Jr. had themselves a day — winning their class, their division, and being named Reserve Grand Champion in the Junior Show.

That’s our first big win of the new era of V8 Shorthorns, and well, it’s hard to describe how that feels.

And what I loved most about it all? Krisha had the confidence to use a calf. She had the guts to let a young one have a piece of it — and I love those kinds of judges. That takes confidence. Swagger. All the things that make showing cattle electrifying.

I think about Mitch Thomas, who used +Mr. V8 146/8 “Sloan” to win Houston as a calf and ended up looking pretty dang sharp when Sloan went on to be the only Brahman bull to win Houston three years in a row, and is now our best sire. Or Jarold Callahan, who used Miss V8 Can’t Fool Me as a calf in Louisville for Reserve, another female who went on to be fairly unstoppable her entire career. I love people who will use a calf. Dad always jokes that most judges, including himself, have pretty big egos. I’m here for it. Use a calf.

As a fellow woman in agriculture trying to make her way, I tip my hat — figuratively, because if I wear one, I look exactly like Jim Williams — to Krisha and to all the women who are carving out space in what’s still mostly a man’s world.

Later that night, back in the hotel room, we were rehashing the day. I told Knox, “This is it, the first Grand or Reserve for V8 Shorthorns this time. And you did that!”

And we finally got our backdrop photo with the entire Cates crew. What a happy moment — we’re on their team now, and boy, how lucky are we that they’re on ours, too.

I’m competitive. I can be short-tempered on show day. I’m as intense as they come. I appreciate the grace and patience the Cates crew shows me as I learn how to fit into their team… something I’m not used to after years of having our own V8 crew. I’ve got experience and knowledge, but some of it’s a little old-school. I’m learning. I have more to learn still. I’ve already learned that I can’t wear ivory to Shorthorn shows because there’s black paint floating in the air. I don’t know all the ropes. But if that TikTok trend of “thinking I don’t know ball” applies… well, back in my day, I did know ball.

OPEN SHOW DAY

The next day was the open show, judged by Joe Bales, a name that carries weight in the Shorthorn breed. In the Brahman world, breeder judges are common, but in Shorthorns, that’s not usually the case. I think that’s part of why Shorthorn folks get along so well. It’s easier to stay unified when we’re not all evaluating one another’s cattle from the ring.

Joe Bales is a legend. And I was thrilled and honored for our cattle to be seen through the eyes of someone who’s built and believed in the red, white, and roan.

This time, it was Luke who took Bill Jr. into the ring. We all love showing, maybe a little too much. We probably need to get that V8 Shorthorns string back up to where it was at its biggest (18 head at Louisville), so we all have some to show. Just kidding. Maybe.

Some of the AJSA junior board members didn’t realize I’d married a cattleman myself, which made me laugh. Luke grew up showing Angus, and he’s a great showman.

He and Bill Jr. won their class and their division, and Joe Bales gave them a shoutout in his grand drive speech as one of the heifers he was considering for the overall championship. We didn’t walk away with Grand or Reserve, but we made an impact under someone the breed respects, and that meant something.

SUNDAY REFLECTIONS

On Sunday, we came back to the show to watch the Supreme Drives. During the Hereford bull drive, Kevin Jensen gave a speech about how the Hereford breed has improved over the years without adding outside blood, and how that’s something to be proud of. It was one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time.

While I was waiting on the Supreme Drive, I got to visit with a familiar face: Dr. Dave Nichols of K-State, the same man who judged my first American Royal back in 1993. He’s still as sharp and kind as ever. He, too, was brave enough to use a calf, naming one of our Shorthorns National Champion back in 2000. He laughed and said, “Would you believe your dad still remembers the name of that heifer I used to win Fort Worth?”

I said, “Of course he does! She was his all-time favorite. And she went on to win Junior Nationals that summer!”

We were talking about CF Myrtle Bo 93, of course. That’s one of the fun parts about a judge using a calf — getting to come back years later and tell them, you were right. That calf went on to be something special. I’m hoping I’ll get to say the same thing to Krisha Geffert a few years from now about Bill Jr.

My lifelong mentors, Gary and Kathy Buchholz of GKB Cattle, judged the Supreme Junior Heifer show, and Mr. Buchholz, talking about showmanship, said: “If you can’t show them, you can’t win ’em.”

Afterwards, I asked Knox if he had heard it. He’s still sharpening his very-new showmanship skills, but he nodded. He knows that when Mr. Buchholz talks, you listen.

Next, Dad judged the Supreme Open Female and Supreme Open Bull. I wish I’d been out there with him, but I was doing my second-favorite thing — standing ringside, quietly guessing where he’d land. And wouldn’t you know, I called it right. He judged exactly how I thought he would. He’s still a quick study, still decisive, still the one I’ve learned from the most.

When someone asked Knox who he was rooting for to win, he said, without missing a beat, “The Shorthorn, of course.”

Good answer, Knox. I share that dream, that Shorthorn can win Supremes and be in the mix. As breeders, that gives us something to reach for.

HEADING HOME, LOOKING AHEAD

We left Kansas City with a truckload of memories and a few extra banners, riding home with my parents from both the junior and open shows.

Next stop? Louisville: The greatest Shorthorn show in the world.

We may not have a roan heifer on the green shavings, which, if you ask me, is still the prettiest color combination there is, but we’ll be there with two good ones.

It’s been years since I worked as a wedding photographer, but I still keep in touch with a few friends from that world. Recently, I listened to a podcast where a guest, a woman who once sold her thriving wedding magazine at its peak, said this:

She went on to share that she’d been trying to live in the best parts of her past, believing the best was behind her. Her friend told her, “Do not go back. Go forward.”

That’s what I’m constantly navigating with my Shorthorn journey: measuring where we are now against what we once built. There’s a little voice in the back of my mind asking, Is the best behind us? Can we really do it all again?

And then a weekend like Kansas City comes along and reminds me that we can. I have all the same good parts as before: my parents with us, the Buchholzes as mentors, but this time, I also have Luke and Knox beside me. The same hearts that stood with me at the beginning are still here, only now in new roles. I can love those memories and respect what we accomplished back then, while still believing the future can shine just as bright. The best isn’t behind us. I have faith that the best is still to come.