Keeping the crown and sash busy!

(pictured above is me attending the Opportunity sale with my "hereford Grandma")

At the beginning of December I had the opportunity to go and attend the National Hereford show in Reno, Nevada. This was my first time to be able to travel out west and attend this show. I was overjoyed with the opportunity to work with Queens and Princesses from Idaho, Oregon, and California. They were all such amazing ladies, and I truly am blessed to have had the opportunity to spend time with them. We worked together handing out awards and taking pictures at the backdrop for two days. We then had the sale, and when I say "the sale" it truly is possibly the sale of all sales. For those of you who don't know the sale is held in the Hotel/Casino. Not only that, but the cattle come out on the stage inside the hotel! Many of you have probably seen the photo of the men and women kneeling down with their cattle in one hand and show sticks in the other, well that was taken at the Western Nugget Sale. It truly gave you goose bumps to witness the view of the hereford breeders and their cattle when the curtains were raised! Following the sale I flew a red eye flight to Kansas City Missouri, and drove to Sedalia, Missouri for the Missouri Hereford Associations' Opportunity Sale. I always enjoy a trip to spend time with my hereford family in Missouri! Needless to say though, by the end of the journey I was exhausted! 

Hereford Holiday Classic Sale

My second stop was to the Hereford Holiday Classic Sale in Clinton, Illinois! This sale's consignors were Crane Herefords, Stephens and Loehr Herefords, Young Cattle Co., and Sayre Herefords. This group of people had their arms open to me the moment I arrived in Clinton and stepped out of the truck! They reminded me that the Hereford breed not only has great cattle, but an even better set of breeders! I have become acquainted with many of the other Illinois Hereford breeders and it was great to catch up with them at the sale as well. I even got a picture with Mr. JW Crane! Thank you again to these families for being so kind and supportive!


~in Hereford spirit, your Queen Amanda Bacon

1st Stop~Louisville, Kentucky

My second half of the North American International Livestock Exposition (aka NAILE) was just as great as the first! With the classes a little bit bigger in size it wasn't quite as fast pace, allowing me to make it back and forth from the awards table to the ring exit with a little time to spare! I was so thankful for all of those who helped taxi me from my hotel to the exposition center, Mr. Andrew Garnhart of Mud Creek Farms and Mr. Travis Pierce of Pierce's Hereford Haven. Without these two I wouldn't have made it to the show on time or I may have been spending the night in the barn, thank you again! In the ring I got help passing out ribbons and holding banners from Miss Tory Miller of Thorntown, Indiana. She was great help and great company in the ring and I was very thankful to have her with me! By the end of the day my white boots and the bottom of my white skirt were tinted with green, but it was all worth it! Louisville was a great start to my year as National Hereford Queen. But it was just the first stop of many!

~in Hereford spirit, your Queen Amanda Bacon