Kylie Sikes was making her way to the Rio Grande Valley and travelling down U.S. Highway 77 through King Ranch country. 

“You go through so many miles of open country and then all of a sudden you see this big mix of cities in the Valley,” she said.

Sikes is the director of youth programs for the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Breeders Association. The destination in mid-July was the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show grounds where her association would hold its junior national show. It marked the Beefmaster’s first-ever national youth show in the Valley at the Mercedes show grounds, featuring over 200 youth exhibitors and 350 head of cattle.

It’s one of those under-the-radar events that relatively few outside of an industry’s circles may know about. Take the 200 youth exhibitors participating at the national show and multiply it by three family members. It’s easy to figure that over 500 visitors staying at area hotels and spending dollars at dining and shopping outlets produce quite an economic impact.

The national show would prove to be a success as exhibitors ranging in ages from 6 to 21 displayed their Beefmaster breed cattle and also competed in a range of other activities. They included public speaking and a quiz bowl that tested their knowledge about the cattle industry. The July 20-26 event went so well that it sparked a sentiment among Beefmaster members of wanting to return to the Valley for another show.

“Everyone had a fantastic time,” Sikes said. “The hospitality we felt from the Valley was like something we hadn’t seen before. Our membership definitely wants to come back to Mercedes.”

Getting The Ranch Experience

The Beefmaster breed has its origins in South Texas. 

The cattle breed was developed in the Falfurrias area and has gained a foothold across the Southern United States. The Beefmasters Breeders United association is based in Bryan and works to enhance the ability of breeders to raise and promote its cattle based on the values of the organization. It actively works with major livestock shows across the country, including the RGV Livestock Show.

“We do have many members in the Valley and there was a push to go there,” Sikes said of bringing the national show to Mercedes. “We know that some of our membership in the Valley do not attend some of the shows up north, so by going down there we capture that audience.”

Sikes commended RGV Livestock show staff for working over the last year with Beefmasters in preparing for the national show. Area members pitched in with volunteers efforts to accommodate and host visiting exhibitors and their families. 

“The community was extremely supportive,” she said of the Valley. “Everyone was excited to have it (national show) in South Texas.” 

A highlight of national show activities was a trip to the Santa Ana Ranch near Edcouch. The ranch has been growing Beefmaster cattle since 2002. The ranch’s website says Santa Ana “has the strongest and largest herd of polled Beefmaster cattle in South Texas.” It is a breed of cattle with sleek red coats, and its proponents bill it as “the cattle of the future with their natural resilience to extreme weather and rapidly changing climates.”

Big Responsibilities 

Visiting a working ranch was a bonus for the national show participants.

Back in Mercedes, they competed with their showcased cattle along with the competitions in public speaking and knowledge-based skills. In many ways it mimicked the live competitions the students will face at livestock shows in presenting their cattle for sale. At the national show, the cattle were for display purposes only as the participants practiced their sales skills.

“It’s about being entrepreneurial and getting comfortable in front of people,” Sikes said. 

The students come out of such events better prepared for future competitions. They are also continuing to acquire knowledge and carry the responsibilities of caring for and raising a Beefmaster.

“There’s not many other projects you take on where another life depends on you,” Sikes said. “You learn a lot about responsibility and being entrepreneurial when you go to shows.”