Age: 18
Hometown: Decatur, Ark.
Parents: Kevin and Dr. Jacque Smith
Sibling: Sister Kylie
FFA Chapter: Decatur FFA
Advisor: Lisa Barrett
What is your involvement in agriculture?
“I grew up on a farm, and I started out in 4-H in 2013 showing goats. In 2019, I got my first show heifer and now run a herd of 15 registered Limousin cows that I breed and sell show cattle out of. I joined FFA in seventh-grade. I’ve been on two nationally completive livestock teams; one for 4-H and one for FFA. Our FFA team won state this past spring, so we’re going to nationals in November. I was on two nationally completive livestock Skillathon teams. At the last one, I was awarded the All-American at the National 4-H Skillathon Contest.
“We still have some goats, but we don’t show them. I breed them and sell market animals and commercial does.”
What do you enjoy about living on a farm?
“Through middle school and high school, I really didn’t fit in. We are a small school, but ag isn’t that popular. Being in the ag and livestock industry gives me a place to be around people who have the same interests and joys that I do.”
What do you enjoy about showing?
“Eventually, the cows become your best friends. I’m sure they get tired of me talking to them. It’s nice to put all of the work in and watch it pay off.”
What are your future plans?
“I have a scholarship to judge livestock at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. I’ll the eighth generation of my family to go to NEO. Both my uncle and dad judged there. I’ll be studying animal science, then after those two years, I’ll transfer to a four-year university and I hopefully be on the livestock team. I’ll study large animal reproduction because I hope to have a career in large animal embryology.”
