Becca Moore

Picture a 7-year-old kid standing beside the show ring watching a group of young men and women walking around the show ring wearing a maroon jacket. What do you think that child is thinking? Probably something along the lines of, “Man, I can not wait to wear one of those jackets.”. Wondering what path our show careers will take is something every child dreams of, but once our show careers are over, we all look back and think about all the great times, the rough times, and even the moments that were more of a life lesson than anything else. My name is Becca Moore and I am going to fill in all the blanks between the beginning and the bitter sweet ending of one of the most amazing journeys a child can embark on, a livestock show career. 

I was that kid standing ring side wondering where life would take me and if I was going to get to experience the maroon jacket. For us, my brothers and I, it all started at home where our father shared his love for cattle with each of us. Ethan, the oldest, began his journey and developed a love for cattle just as powerful as our fathers. From there it spread like wildfire. Our week nights turned into evenings at the barn and our weekends were then filled with any and every cattle show. The Buck family became our second family and then before long the Maine-Anjou family became our greatest blessing. Through our journey I have learned many different life lessons. First off, no one can do it alone. We had an army, and I am not just talking about the six of us Moore kids. Second, you learn that it is important to listen. I cannot tell you how many coaching sessions or “team meetings” we had over the years. Third, it takes hard work to be in this industry and become successful. It was not just the hard work of the exhibitor, but the whole family, show crew, and every other person behind the scenes. Last but not least, the journey is fun. In all the hard work and the hustle and bustle we all still found time to joke and laugh together. 

Ever since the beginning we have had an army working behind each of us Moore kids. If it was not our dad there, it was Jirl Buck. The times our mom needed an extra hand, Brenda Buck was right there putting us all in line. Bailey Buck was the first sister I had ever had. With our crew and the Buck crew working together, everything ran just as good as a well oiled machine. Through the years we have added more people to our show family and have seen some really great friends go off on their own incredible journeys. Each of the families or people placed in our lives along the way played a small part in the big picture of my brothers and I’s show career. We were lucky enough to grow up in the Maine-Anjou family and then later in our careers be welcomed with open arms to the Hereford family as well. It is not always just the people, but the cattle become apart of our family too. If you are reading this and you are new to our world, just wait and see because these associations and the family that you will join will amaze you and change your life for the better. 

Over the years we think we get to where we know everything, but of course there will be those people there to remind you that you do not. Listen to them, because they will teach you more than you believe. My brothers and I had some extraordinary teachers within this industry. Between our father, Jirl Buck, the Maine-Anjou and Hereford family, and the whole crew through the years, we have been coached, pushed, and corrected constantly. Without the lessons and the team meetings, the older generations are not able to pass down what they learned from their experience. Listen to them, even when it is not as easy, because the lessons learned will help form and shape your show career for the better. Not to mention the lessons learned may help someday when you are teaching them yourselves. 

Winning is not everything, but it is fun to experience and achieve such high honors. Through the years it has taken a lot of hard work for my family to achieve the honor of joining the champion circle. None of it was done alone. The work does not happen at the show, it begins at home in your barn. I can remember back to being a young girl and everyone spending their Saturday and Sunday mornings at the barn putting the cattle up. Just to return that evening to feed and turn out. The water fights, the laughs, the fights that took place were just a bonus to the work. Everyone’s opinion mattered when it came to checking up on the progress of each of the show heifers. Our father, Jirl buck and Matt Scasta were always around giving extra advice on what needed to be fed what or how we needed to work their hair extra special to get it to grow before the big show. Without the hard work put in and the help and encouragement for everyone around, our family would not have been able to achieve as much as we have during each of the six of our show careers. 

Showing cattle may be a lot of work, but the fun you have will out weigh the work. This life is busy and can get a little stressful at moments, but there is always time for laughter. I can remember after every big Junior Nationals, we would end the show with a huge water fight. The whole barn would join in to celebrate the ending to a great week. The friends each of us Moore kids have made over the years will easily last a lifetime. One of my own personal favorite memories is when I had the opportunity to wear the great maroon jacket along-side Bailey. Friends are a big piece to the puzzle that make this industry so special. It may get to where you only get to see your livestock friends at national shows, such as Denver or Fort Worth, but it is always something for each of us to look forward too. 

In the end, the journey made will last a lifetime. Our livestock showing careers have been extraordinary and the families and friends made throughout it are the icing on the cake. Many times we forget to remember the big dreams that we had as a young child, and to think that those dreams actually came true is astonishing. Getting the opportunity to be the teacher and not the student in showmanship or even my brothers being the ones to teach young dreamers how to run some clippers is a sight to see. Overall, I am thankful for my family and the people that have stood behind us throughout the journey of each of our show careers. For now, the pictures will help remind us of all the good times that we had throughout the last twenty years of growing, learning, and laughing together within one of the greatest industries.