Special Episode: Lessons From Some of Our Seniors

We sat down this spring with a few of our seniors to reflect on their show career, some of the things they've learned, what advice they would give to a young exhibitor, and what lies ahead. Along with one of our youngest. Be sure and watch all the way to the end!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Hi, I'm Carrie Brockman with Brockman Farms, and I decided to sit down with some of our senior girls this week while we're at the Houston layover. With me now I have Kendall Shackelford. Kendall has her and her brother Tracy have been showing with us for a while. I think Kendall started showing with us when she was in the fourth grade, right? So the next senior girl that uh have with me is Shila Brockman. And Shila has been showing with us for the past three or four years. Yeah, three years. Our last senior girl to interview is Kenley Rohan. Kenley has been showing with us how many? Eight or nine. Yeah. Almost all like my whole career. Okay, that's what I was thinking. So um we just wanted to ask these girls a couple questions. And um it's kind of like a senior exit interview uh type deal. So, Kendall, what is one thing that you would tell a younger exhibitor?

SPEAKER_02 1:03

I would say don't get so caught up in the moment. Especially for me. I wish I could tell myself this because I'm like a stressor to my core. Whether it's no, whether it's my pig went off feed or got sick or whatever it was, I felt like my world was imploding and I was making it this whole big deal. And looking back, I every single time I'm like, me stressing out didn't help anything.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Right.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

And like in retrospect, it's just like everything happens for a reason. Right. So whatever it is, I think, yeah, like there was no point in me stressing out and just like take it all in and be grateful for everything instead of being stressed about the negatives.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Right. Yeah, no, and and I tell myself a lot, um, and the kids, I'll say, you know, is it eternal? Whatever happened, whatever went wrong, is it eternal? Um, and the answer is always no. So, Shiloh, the first question is what is one thing you would tell a younger exhibitor?

SPEAKER_04 2:10

The one thing I would tell a younger exhibitor is to enjoy every moment and make as much memories as you can because at the end of the day, no matter what you place at a show, you'll always have the memories forever.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Um, Kenley, what is one thing you would tell a younger exhibitor?

SPEAKER_03 2:31

It's hard. One thing I would tell a younger exhibitor is watch the older kids. That's the most knowledge. The way I learned everything was having seniors, kids in high school, especially on this team. They showed you what needed to be done, and I had a goal to follow in their footsteps.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Yeah, I love that. And we talked a lot about that um in a in another uh podcast episode about just you know watching the show and finding kids that were older that were really good and watching them showing. But I love what you brought up, not just about showing, but you know, you probably watched them when we would during feeding time or shuffling or anything. You just watched the whole process, so I love that. Okay, second question. If you could change one thing about your show career, what would that be?

SPEAKER_02 3:25

I wouldn't change anything. Like I just said, everything happens for a reason. It was all written before I even stepped in the show ring, so there was no need for me to change anything. It all happened the way it was supposed to happen.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

Yeah, yeah. No, I love that. And we look back and I can think of bears that we all had high hopes for, and you know, maybe it didn't work out like we thought it would. But like you said, it was God had had written that story way before before you stepped foot in the ring, so I love that. If you could change one thing about your show career, what would that be?

SPEAKER_04 3:57

The one thing I would change about my show career is not coming out of my shell before I did and going up to mentors and asking questions.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Oh, I like that, yeah, for sure. Um, if you could change one thing about your show career, what would that be?

SPEAKER_03 4:16

There wouldn't be anything I would change because then my family from the start, and I couldn't ask for a better show team and a group of people, and I consider you and Josh like my parents.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Same. Uh, what's your most memorable moment in or out of the ring? Obviously, San Antonio 21.

SPEAKER_02 5:08

But I think another memorable thing for me was whenever I showed that head shaker. Just because like that was a battle. That was hard. And I never thought, like, I remember taking him to a jackpot, and everyone was like laughing and like that thing's never gonna hit the show ring. Like, he couldn't even get off the trailer, and then he got it done, like we got it done, and that was like very just like full circle moment.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Oh, yeah, for sure. Well, and that's um, I remember uh Josh and I we loved that pig as a baby, and um we knew that you were one of the few that could get it done, so that that's why you got him. What's your most memorable moment in or out of the show ring?

SPEAKER_04 5:54

My most memorable moment would be last year after we got done showing at Austin and taking our group picture, the water fight. And we were at the scales and dumped a bucket of water on Trevor. The water fight.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

That's uh I love it. Yeah. For some reason, we we've had um foot races after Austin, we've had water fights. I don't I don't know. It's like an end-of-the-season thing. Yeah, we just What's your most memorable moment in or out of the show ring?

SPEAKER_03 6:29

A lot of people would probably think me reserving San Antonio would be my most memorable moment. That one's not. It was actually State Fair in 25, the hardest pig I've ever had to walk. And y'all never gave up trying to figure out a way to make him walk. And all of the hugs, with that being like my first last senior show, you were always there for me before I showed and after I showed. And that was I couldn't ask for more support.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Yeah, he was a knothead. Um last question. What will be the hardest part to say goodbye to?

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Probably it won't not probably, it has to be the people. Like the pigs. The pigs are so important, and like it's what brought us all here. But like what's kept us going is the people and the relationships that we've made, and all my best friends have come from this group and like the people that are brought together. And it's gonna be hard not being around everyone next year at spring break. I'm gonna be missing the people that I'm with every single year for Houston Layover.

SPEAKER_00 7:59

You can come back. Thank you. You can come back, we'll put you to work.

SPEAKER_02 8:02

But yeah, I'm gonna miss the people the most. I'm gonna miss the relationships, I'm gonna miss the closeness of the team and like win, lose, or draw. We all love each other and we're here for each other no matter what. So that's what's gonna be hardest for me.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Last question What will be the hardest part to say goodbye to?

SPEAKER_04 8:23

The hardest part would be the whole show group.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

We'll take all that. What will be What will be the hardest part to say goodbye to?

SPEAKER_03 9:07

The hardest part will be not showing ringside with Camlin anymore. That's been a like a friendship that a little over a year ago started when we started to get really close and getting to do that ringside by her. Those are moments I will never forget. And she's taught me a lot. Just becoming a better person and sharing her faith with me.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Alright, and so uh, Kendall, what are your your plans after you graduate?

SPEAKER_02 9:48

I'm going to Texas Tech. Um, majoring in Agcom. And from there, I don't really know exactly what I want to be, but I know I'll figure it out at some point. And I know I want to stay in the ag world. I want to be I want to be around pigs for the rest of my life. And so whether that be like a broadcaster or like a reporter or whatever, yeah. I feel like once I get there, I'll see my opportunities and figure out exactly what I want to do.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

And what are your plans after you graduate?

SPEAKER_04 10:25

Um, I'm gonna go to college to be um an ultrasound technician.

unknown 10:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:32

Awesome. So what are your plans after you graduate?

SPEAKER_03 10:38

My plan is I'm going to start at the Blenn in a college station and then hopefully get a degree in ag communications and then go work somewhere in the medical cell field.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Okay, great, awesome. Well, we love you. We thankful we are thankful for you and your family, and um, we wish you the very best.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Love y'all.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

All right, well. We love you. And we're thankful for you. Well, we love you and your family. I love y'all too. And we're very thankful for you. Love you, Josh. So now we've decided to ask the next generation um a couple questions, and I have with me Harper Pachata. How old are you, Harper?

unknown 11:40

10.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

10. And this is your second year to show, right? What's your favorite show? San Antonio. San Antonio. You like to show down eared pigs at San Antonio, don't you? Yeah. Are we gonna do that next year? Um, who does all the work at home? You or your brother?

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Uh both of us, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

Um, tell us in your uh so you've shown for a year what uh tell me something that you've learned. Oh.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Like under, but like by their lips now, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Okay, so underneath their their chin instead of on the side of their face a little bit? Yep. Yep. Are you gonna miss having your brother with you? Yeah. What's your favorite part about showing?

SPEAKER_01 12:37

I guess like I get to learn more about animals.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Yeah. Do you like to make mud pies?

SPEAKER_01 12:43

No.

SPEAKER_00 12:46

Only outside? Alright. Well, you've done a great job. We're very proud of you, and especially how you show for only showing for at majors for a year. You you started showing how old were you when you started?

SPEAKER_01 13:00

Oh I think five or six.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Yeah, yeah, you've been showing a while, but at major's for a year. So, and we look forward to all the rest of your years. Okay.