Tanner Taylor
Age: 15
Family: Father, Shon; mother, Joy; and 9-year-old brother, Hayden
Hometown: Vinita, Okla.
FFA Chapter: Adair FFA
Advisors: Devin Delozier and Shane Johnson
What is your favorite aspect of agriculture?
“While I like all the animals, I especially enjoy cattle and sheep. Because there was no agricultural program in Ketchum, I decided to drive to Adair for school instead of Vinita because Adair is closer to where dad works which makes transportation easier.”
Who is the most influential person in your life?
“The most influential was my great-grandfather because he taught me that every day is a good day, some days are just better than others. Another important person is Zeb King, a family friend who worked with my dad when my dad worked at a feed mill. Zeb and his family were highly competitive in cattle and loaned us equipment to get started and gave me advice that really paid off. He still goes to shows with us and preps the animals for the show because he showed a lot of club bull calves.”
What is your current involvement in agriculture?
“I am beginning to raise my own commercial cattle herd. I used AI on one Angus cow so I could raise show calves from her. When I choose semen, I look on the Internet for what lines are hot right now and also what their show calves are selling for. My grandpa raises sheep and we bought 12 ewes and a ram as a beginning herd for me. In FFA, I also compete in prepared speech, cattle grading and judging livestock, equine and dairy.”
What agricultural memories stand out in your mind?
“My earliest memory is going to Quarter horse sales when I was 5 or 6 while my dad was still raising and selling Quarter horses. I also remember backing the feed truck out of the barn when I was 10 with my dad cautioning me to be careful because it was a tight squeeze. Of course I thought I had it, but I didn’t and scraped the truck on a feed bin. My favorite memory is winning reserve market steer with a steer I raised from my own cow. I didn’t have a lot of confidence and did not expect to win, so I was thrilled when I did.”
What are your future plans?
“In the short run, I want to run for an FFA State office when I am a senior in high school or freshman in college. I plan on going to a junior college first and then transferring to Oklahoma State to get a degree in animal science before becoming a vet. I haven’t figured out yet whether I want to focus on large animals or be a general vet.”
