8 minute read
Steer Success and Shaping Showman
Nalaney Guyer’s road to top steer points in the IBA Points Program and other successes.
By Molly Biggs
For many, the show ring is not just a place of competition. It can be a safe place, a showcase of hard work and determination, a place that holds many happy memories and maybe a few letdowns along the way. For many, it is like a second home during the pivotal years of a young showman’s life.
Nalaney Guyer has been in a show ring since around the time she could take her first steps. She began her show career at the age of three and has spent nearly her whole life in a show ring from the sheep ring to pigs and cattle. With a passion for showing livestock and an impressive show career, Nalaney was recently named the 2024 Illinois Junior Beef Association High Point Individual in the steer division.
Nalaney is from Robinson, Illinois in Crawford County, and is the 21-year-old daughter of Dave and Lucy Guyer and younger sister to Ashtin Guyer Webster. Nalaney is a junior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agribusiness while working as the marketing coordinator for SC Online Sales.
Growing up, showing livestock was a way of life for the Guyer family, so it was inevitable that Nalaney would end up showing cattle, it was just a matter of time before you found her on the end of a pig whip or a show halter.
Her dad, Dave, was raised in the livestock industry, growing up raising sheep, he would eventually find his way to the cattle industry and has since become a nationally known steer trader. Her mom, Lucy, was involved in the cattle industry and the two would help to build the foundation for the sisters show career and passion for the industry.
Lessons Learned
As Nalaney rounds out her time as a junior she reflects on her time in the ring as a young exhibitor. She started out like many juniors learning the basics and practical applications like how to properly feed, fit and present one at a competitive level, a process she credits her dad’s guidance and patience.
Though developing these skills at a young age was an important lesson to learn and led to her success in the ring at any age, Nalaney emphasizes that in the long run, the most important lessons were not washing and drying but understanding that winning wasn’t always the most important thing.
“The best thing I ever learned was how to lose,” Nalaney says. “Walking out of the ring with a smile, no matter the outcome is something I try to instill in younger kids now. There’s always another show, and that applies to life beyond the ring too.”
Mentoring Moments
Nearing the end of your junior career symbolizes the end of an era for many exhibitors, this is typically a time in your life when something you have been doing since you were little ends. They often say, “Just because something changes doesn’t mean it’s over. It just means your role in it is different.” This is a sentiment that Nalaney has embraced fully, assuming her role as mentor to many younger exhibitors.
That love for mentoring younger exhibitors has become one of the most rewarding aspects for her, from teaching younger kids the fundamentals of showing to watching them succeed.
“We have customers who look up to Ash and me, so those kids are what I thrive on now,” Nalaney says. “Being able to teach kids what mom and dad taught us and what we learned showing is what gets me excited now.”
As she transitions from competitor to mentor, her passion for the industry remains the same. Though success may not look the same as walking out of the ring with a few banners, the greatest reward now comes from watching the younger exhibitors she mentors grow, improve and find their passion in the ring.
Proudest Peaks
Securing the high-point steer title had been a longtime goal for Nalaney and achieving it in her final junior year made it even more meaningful. She had spent years competing at a high level and achieving success in the heifer ring while Ashtin had success in the steer ring. In a way, winning the high point steer title symbolized, both some fun-hearted sibling competition but also a culmination of a successful junior career.
“My sister and I were always happy for each other, but this felt really special to finally accomplish,” she says. “It was really exciting to achieve it when it was coming down to my last year, especially with a steer like Rick.”
As you can imagine, when you started showing cattle at age six, you have led quite a few through the ring, but Nalaney describes Rick as one of her favorite animals to show and was a key player in helping her secure this award. A standout in the ring, he dominated at most shows he went to and held a special place in her family’s heart.
“Winning was exciting, but it was really about Rick,” she recalls. “He was one of those once-in-a-lifetime animals.”
Beyond her personal achievements, Nalaney remembers her family’s collective success as her proudest moment. This achievement came at the base of the Rocky Mountains when her sister, Ashtin, won the steer show at the National Western —a goal they had dreamed of since they started showing.
“When Ashtin and I were growing up and started showing cattle, we always told Dad we wanted to win the steer show in Denver,” Nalaney says. “And we would go every year, but never did it and never got quite there. It was the last year Ashtin could show, and we finally accomplished that goal.”
She continued “Being able to do that as a family and then getting to go to the Brown Palace and through the Sale of Champions and getting to talk to all the bidders and buyers and doing it all as a family is just one of the coolest experiences.”
Future Focused
As her time as both a student and a showman are winding down, Nalaney looks ahead to her future in the business. She currently works for SC Online Sales, managing marketing and social media and plans to remain in the livestock industry. Though her exact path is still forming, she knows she will continue supporting young exhibitors and stay involved in the family business.
As Nalaney reminisces on her time in the ring, she remembers what it was like for her younger self in the ring and thinks of what she would have told her six-year-old self, an encouragement she now tries to tell her younger mentees.
“Keep your head up. There are a lot of ups and downs, but don’t give up,” Nalaney says. “The most rewarding part is seeing the progress—not just in your own success, but in helping others find theirs.” and
Nalaney’s show career captures the meaning of doing it as a family and valuing the relationships built along the way. Though her role as showman is ending, her new role as mentor will impact younger exhibitors, far and wide, whether it’s seeing them step in the ring for the first time or simply offering words of encouragement, she is an example of how success is measured not just by the wins, but by the support we give one another.
FAST FACTS WITH NALANEY
Q: What is your favorite show day product?
A: “Game Changer.”
Q: Do you have any show day superstitions?
A: “Not really any superstition, but when we go up to the ring, I have to have my show stick in my hand.”
Q: What is your favorite show to go to?
A: “Denver.”
Q: What is your favorite hobby to do when you are not showing cattle?
A: “Spending time with my family.”
Q: Do you have a favorite road trip snack?
A: “Honestly, the cups of pineapple of grapes.”
Q: What are you most frequently found listening to in the barn?
A: “Probably just Country music.”
