Age: 15
Parents: Rick and Lindsey Penn
Siblings: Derrick, Kylon, Grant and Adrian
Hometown: Southwest City, Mo.
FFA Chapter: McDonald County FFA
FFA Advisors: Rob Hall, Emily Hutton and Shawn McAllister
What is your involvement in agriculture?
“This was my second year showing Shorthorn cattle at the Missouri State Fair. I’ve participated in FFA at my high school and my SAE project was the raising and showing of my cattle. This was also my second year to show them at the Junior Nationals.
“I live with my parents on a 60-acre farm where they also raise commercial beef cattle.”
When asked how many cattle she had, she began to count. “Well, there’s Lady, Dolly, Susie…there’s a total of eight. When I finish with the showing, I plan to turn them into a herd, to breed more show cattle. I really like this, working with the cattle. I like their color and that they are so gentle. Each one has its own personality. They really are characters once you get to know them.”
Kristin admits there is a lot of work involved in raising show cattle, especially for a busy teen who also enjoys playing basketball for her school, but that doesn’t seem to slow her down at all. She gets up early to feed them twice a day, walks them and then of course, there is grooming, baths and general care.
What are your future plans?
“I want to go to college at the University of Missouri-Columbia, to their veterinary school. It’s a really good program. Showing has helped me to meet a lot of new people and make new friends and some of them live 300 miles from my home in Southwest Missouri. It’s a good group of people, show people, and I really like it. There really isn’t a downside or a bad side to this whole cattle showing business for me.”
