Success Doesn’t Always Come From Winning
By Meghan Edwards
As everyone knows, state fair season just came to an end. Two weeks spent with livestock, friends, family, and memories that were made. It’s tiring, and by the time you get home, you’re worn out. This State Fair was my last time being there as an exhibitor. Preparing for the fair was like preparing for any other fair or show: cleaning and packing the trailer, planning outfits, messaging friends about how excited you are to see them, and making sure everything is perfect and ready to go.
As I made the drive down to Sedalia with my truck and trailer, it hit me… yeah, I wanted to win, make it to the Show Me Shootout, and hang some new banners (because doesn’t everyone?), but as I was driving, I remembered it goes so much farther beyond winning. It’s the family, the team, and the friends that make you feel like you’ve really won. You won’t win every show, and you won’t place at every show. Something I always reminded myself was that one person’s opinion on my animal doesn’t dictate how that season will go. Walking in the ring with an animal you’ve worked with and put the time and effort into means you’ve already won. The buckles and banners are nice, and they make you feel like your hard work is finally paying off, but to this day, the thing that makes me smile the most when I get home is looking at the pictures and videos from the show, thinking of something someone said that we all laughed at, or remembering something that became a new inside joke.
When I first started showing, I didn’t have the support system to fall back on like I do now. I was scared, nervous, and too timid to ask the people who knew more than me what I should be doing or just ask for simple advice with something. Through the years, I started making friends and gaining experience in the industry. I found myself finally coming out of my shell. I started asking questions, taking advice, and trying out different things. It’s hard. It’s hard to fit in or feel like an outcast just because you might not know as much as the next person. Putting yourself out there will only cause you more success in the end. People can be intimidating, but the right people will make you feel welcomed and will always be willing to give a helping hand or advice that they’ve also learned along the way. I have never met someone who knew it all when they first started. So many people through the years have told me, “I learned this by…” or “____ taught me this one time, and it works so well.” You won’t always make friends or learn something the easy way. That’s part of it. What you will do, though, is learn. Everything is a learning experience, and it might not always be a successful learning experience either, but no matter what, you will learn something from putting yourself out there.
You won’t always be the best at everything, and that’s okay. You might not know everything either, but that’s also okay. Making connections is something that will build the success we all strive for. This industry is hard to be in when you’re on your own. I’ve made friendships that I know will last me a lifetime and connected with families and youth that I will continue to help and stand ringside for. If there is one thing I wish I could go back and tell younger me, who was just getting started, it would be to put yourself out there and don’t be afraid. Putting yourself out there can be hard, but it pays off in the end.
As my show career comes to an end, I find myself standing ringside more, holding a halter, paint, clippers, or anything else while watching a kid I know has put in the work and has that same passion I do. That means more than any banner you’ll ever hang. The hugs, smiles, cheers, laughs, and the “I’m so proud of you” will forever be something to cherish. So, what I wish I knew was to find your people and learn. I didn’t find my people in this industry when I was younger, but all that matters is that I found them by the end, and that was all because I asked for advice and gave advice on the things I knew. Make the memories, share stories and advice, and advocate for others. You don’t have to know it all, but with the help of others, you learn and grow, and that means more in the end than any banner, buckle, or trophy you’ll ever win.
