It is now the first of the lasts. The days you have lived, and loved the last several years are coming to a close. You are buying your last set of show animals. Going through the tedious halter breaking sessions one final time. Buying the last bags of feed. The days with animals in the show barn are now numbered. There is nothing you can do to change it. You’ve dreaded these days for ever. You make the most of all the sleepless nights spent in the truck waiting in line with your show family. You walk out of all of the showrings for the last time with tears in your eyes. You cry because you ended your time at that show on top, you cry because you didn’t do as well as you wanted, you cry because it is all over. You pack the showboxes for one final haul. The workout routines at home with the animals are ending. You always hated that part of showing, but as it comes to an end you realize how much you truly enjoyed those hours spent at the barn working animals. All of the arguments with your dad about him telling you how you are doing everything completely wrong when you just know that you aren’t. The arguments over feed, animals, shows, and hotels are coming to an end. You are going to actually miss these pointless arguments. The memories made this year will become the ones you remember the best. These are truly the moments you don’t get back. The moments that you wish you could relive over and over again. Every grand drive, or showmanship class you just keep thinking if I only had one more shot at it…
You start thinking about college and realizing you will not be missing sixty plus days a year for shows, and judging events. You talk to your stockshow family about what colleges y'all are all going to. Those 4ams spent on the road heading to a show or contest are the times you live for. Packed in the truck with your favorite friends and family telling stories about previous years, and now they too are coming to an end. Your county show is here, this is where it all started, your first show to ever show at, and now it’s your last time to show here. You hold back the tears when you pack up the show boxes and load the animals to head to that final show. This is the last time you will ever show. The last family trip together to a stockshow.
The day has come, you are about to walk into the ring for the last time. It is all or nothing, no second chances, no redo’s next year, this is the finale. No matter the outcome you are going to be heartbroken. The judged has not placed everyone and you are barley holding it together. You go back for showmanship for one last time. The judge is talking reasons on each individual shower, you glance over at your best friend behind you in line. Y’all are both remembering all of the memories, miles, and sleepless nights y’all have shared over the past twelve years. Tears starts rolling down both of y’alls cheeks, as the judge places you two first and second. Y’all hug and bawl as you both exit the show ring. Your mom is crying because it is all over, your dad is nowhere to be found, because he knows it is all over and he is heartbroken to, and your grandparents have completely lost it and are bawling like babies because there “baby” is all grown up now. It is time to hang up the halters for the last time, and it is killing you on the inside. Your life will really never be the same again, the thing you have spent the majority of your life doing is over. It is time to walk away from your favorite thing. It is time to say good-bye.
-Casey Jennings a 2016 Graduate.
