by Anna Webel, president
The 2026 AJSA National Classic wrapped up in Grand Island, Nebraska.
As someone extremely close to aging out, it finally clicked with me that accomplishing dreams on a large scale is entirely possible. When I was 11 years old, I walked into my first National Classic in Des Moines, Iowa. I remember asking the “Mia” of that time, “How old do you have to be to run for the junior board?” The answer ended up being, and still is, 16 years old. I knew the board was something I wanted to be a part of from that day. During that same National Classic, I sat in the stands and watched a good portion of both the Bred and Owned and Owned cattle shows. While I was floored by the quality in both, the Bred and Owned show was my mecca.
You see, every junior has a different path and a different set of goals to achieve. Some people are all in on the contests, some people are all in on the cattle show, some kids want to lead from where they are at, no matter the circumstance. Some of us want to do all the above. I wanted to be an “all-of-the-above kid,” but I’ve been described as a realistic dreamer. I have always had lofty goals, but in my own mind, I never thought I would be able to achieve them because of various excuses. The number one thing I have learned over the past ten years is that excuses are irrelevant. If you make too many and let them hinder you, yes, they will stop you from accomplishing your goals. But if you truly put your mind to something and work your ever-living behind off, dreams and goals will be accomplished.
There are different avenues that make every junior in the AJSA successful. Whether they are a stockman from the day that they are born, if they learn it by exposure from a parent or a mentor, or if they just decide that they want to be a part of and good at this cattle thing, the AJSA fosters them all. For me, I knew I wanted to fall in the category of all the above. I wanted to be good at the contests, competitive in the cattle show, and a leader in this breed. The voice in the back of my mind always told me, “You’re not smart enough, you didn’t buy the best one, you didn’t raise the best one, or you’re not a good enough leader.” If I listened to that voice, I would have quit a long time ago. But, by God’s grace, I put my head down and worked harder, and that tree had plenty of fruit.
Here’s the truth. I stood in the bottom of the class more often than I was towards the top; I was out of the top 20 in more contests than I have placed in, and I have always felt like I can be a better leader. For my juniors sticking with me through this article, or parents reading along, don’t quit. If you don’t know something, find someone who does and ask them to teach you, and if you continue to do the small, tedious stuff the RIGHT way, your goals will be in reach. Dreams you’ve fostered since you were young are not naïve; they’re part of the blueprint that, when paired with hard work and faithfulness, will be so rewarding down the road.
