Kameron Sullivan

Believe it or not, but I’m currently sitting in an airport in Amsterdam, after having just spent the last two months studying at the Scottish Agricultural College just south of Edinburgh while trying to drum this out. The main reason I was able to even get to do this was because as a kid I attended the Honor Roll Sale each year and purchased a heifer that I then exhibited on the local, State and National level. I won at some level with one or another of my Express Limousin heifers yearly, and after having busted my tail for months on end trying to get her to her peak and having done the best I can in school each year money would go into my Express Scholarship fund. If it weren’t for the Express college fund, I can undoubtedly say that I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to undertake this once in a lifetime trip.

My Express scholarship gives me the safety and security to push my college experience as best I can, and to be able to strive to the utmost in my classes. It’s comforting knowing that I have it, and that the wonderful people at Express are there behind me, rooting me on and hoping for the best like family. In essence, they are family. They know my name, they ask about how I’m doing in school when I come to sales or shows, and they genuinely seem to care.

I’ve met a great many people in my travels. There are a lot of warm and nice people out there in the world, but when it comes down to it, nobody can beat the true love and support that cattle people have for each other (even when we’re striving to outshine each other in sales or in the show ring) and our ineffable bond that lets you know that when it really hits the fan, you have people behind you that are going to have your back. When I need help paying tuition and my gut is starting to burn from worry and stress, I can turn to Mr. Funk and those at Express who were so generous in setting up such an amazing program as their scholarship. My cattle family, which includes the personnel of Express Ranches, are always there for me. I know that on show day, if I’m running into trouble or just need an extra hand, I can run to them for help. I remember one show were I hadn’t been told that there was another class that I would have to go into, and so I had cleaned my Express heifer up and bedded her down thinking that I was done. She had a rope halter on, and after having been shown all day had just flopped down in the shavings, getting really dusty. I was just about to go get myself comfortable when some friends of mine came running up telling me that I had to go back out in the ring with the heifer that was now half asleep! So we get her up and take off running. My friends all have their combs out and are trying to make her (and me!) a little more presentable, but we didn’t even bother changing the halter cause they were about to take my name off the list. My heifer and I go running, get set up, and show to the best of our abilities. The judge walks through the class, and I knew that even dirty and with no adhesives or anything my heifer looked good. The judge confirmed this by placing me first in the class! I was elated, but also a little shocked. I mean, neither of us looked our best at that point. As I walked out, my friends were all laughing and teasing me that my heifers were so good, they ought to show themselves and leave me out of the ring, and that I spent too much time getting my heifers ready, they looked so good they didn’t need any adhesive or oils. Sitting here, watching all these people from all these different nations pass around me, I wonder if they have someone like that. I wonder how much they can trust someone, and if they have someone who has faith in them.

So saying, I greatly recommend anyone to buy an Express heifer, not only kids who are looking for that top of the line heifer that is going to help them wipe out the competition at the next show, but also a farmer looking to improve the quality of his or her herd. I greatly recommend for a parent to look into buying their child an Express heifer to show. Not only does that kid learn responsibility and hard work in taking care of that animal, but he or she learns diligence, teamwork, patience, acceptance, and innumerable other qualities that will serve him or her throughout life wherever they go or do. Then, when all their work has paid off and they win a show with that heifer that they have worked so hard on, and then get that added bonus of a scholarship…….. I remember being a kid and thinking “Hey, that’s cool,” but not really understanding just what an effect that would have on me later in life…………………………………………………………………………….

Express Limousin has given me a chance at a life that otherwise I doubt I would have known.