Making Her Mark

Making Her Mark Making Her Mark

Grace Arnold’s desire to mentor and encourage livestock industry youth has earned her the title of 2021 Illinois Beef Association Outstanding Junior of the Year.

by Sydney Trainor

Grace grew up in Clinton, Ill., surrounded by family who shared a passion for showing cattle. This sparked her interest in the industry at an early age.

“I remember the moment I decided I wanted to show cattle,” Grace said. “I didn’t have much background in showing, but I knew people who did, and they loved it.”

When she was eight-years-old Grace convinced her parents to buy some heifers to show, and the rest is history.

Success in the show ring did not come immediately for Grace. As her family began to travel to more shows, eventually attending 18 to 19 shows each summer, success found her.

“We’ve had some success in the last couple years. 2018 was probably our best year,” she said. “I would go back to that year if I could.”

In 2018, Grace showed her steer to top honors of Grand Champion Simmental Steer at the American Junior Simmental Association North Central Regional Classic and won Reserve Grand Champion Simmental Steer at the Illinois State Fair open show.

That same summer she also captured several grand overall, reserve overall and breed champion titles at jackpot shows across the state.

Showing cattle is one of Grace’s passions. She added, “It’s just what I do.”

To Grace, showing cattle consists of more than just buying calves and working with them for competition. Showing is an opportunity to learn more about the beef industry.

“There’s a lot to learn and I don’t know everything,” Grace admitted. “I’m still learning, and I’m always open to learning

Grace’s second year showing cattle and her first county fair win in 2013.

more.”

Grace surrounds herself with a community of cattle enthusiasts, and together they attend cattle shows and network with other beef producers.

“My family is really involved,” Grace said. “Even my extended family, not just my immediate family.”

Grace has met many of the individuals she shows cattle with through FFA and 4-H. They also share Grace’s passion for the beef industry, and they help her grow.

Serving as her 4-H club president for the past four years has allowed Grace to mentor younger members who are interested in the beef industry.

“I guess you could say I have a lot of young kids who look up to me,” Grace said. “I love being a mentor and being that person they can come too if they need something or just want to talk or hang out.”

To Grace, youth is the future, and she wants to play a role in educating them about the beef industry.

“I think educating youth is very important because they will be the ones running our industry someday,” Grace said. “They are the next generation.”

Grace serves on the Illinois Junior Beef Association (IJBA) board of directors where she gets to help run the jackpot show during the Illinois State Fair and various other IJBA events throughout her term.

She also serves on the IJBA communications committee where she had the opportunity to share how she grew her involvement in the beef industry through Instagram stories.

“I’m all for helping the beef industry,” Grace said. “I like to shine a positive light on the beef industry.”

Grace felt the Instagram takeover was an innovative idea, because younger kids soak up information coming from the older kids they look up to. She felt it was a great way to help the younger generation understand what is happening in the industry and where they could start to make an impact.

When asked what advice or encouragement she would give to other people in the cattle industry, Grace said, “It’s all about hard work and not giving up. You can have a bad day, but don’t give up. When you have a good day, it just makes you feel a little bit better. Just keep going at it and work harder every single day.” Grace and her first show heifer, Lola.

Grace, her steer snoop, and her biggest mentor Ben Lowers.

Grace will be a sophomore at Lake Land College in the fall where she studies in the agriculture transfer program and works at Keller Club Calves.

“When I went to college, I decided there were plenty of ways I could further my knowledge in agriculture,” Grace said. “Especially in the beef industry.”

Keller Club Calves has provided Grace with a variety of learning opportunities in the beef industry extending beyond the show cattle sector. She enjoys expanding her knowledge on daily care of cattle, breeding and embryo transfer programs, vaccination programs, and nutrition.

Prior to working at Keller Club Calves, Grace admits her experience of the beef industry was limited to show cattle and working cow-calf pairs at home.

After graduating from Lake Land College, Grace’s goal is to further her education at Iowa State University.

“I plan on going to Iowa State for animal science,” Grace said. “I want to complete an agriculture production degree to someday come back home and have my own herd of cattle to help grow the beef industry.”

Grace hopes to one day raise calves on her own farm that can be competitive for the younger generations in the show ring and out in pastures.

Grace loves working with cattle but to her, showing cattle is more than just the physical work of sorting cows, working hair, and going to shows.

“I like the networking part of the beef industry,” Grace said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of people throughout the industry, including people that I can have around for the rest of my life.”

The connections Grace has made throughout the industry have allowed her to grow her knowledge and set goals for the future. Surrounding herself with like-minded people has strengthened her confidence and helped her get to where she is today.

Grace takes pride in her ability to do her own work. She knows her success stems from her own determination to make her mark in the beef industry.

“I’m passionate about the beef industry,” Grace said. “We are feeding the world. We help the world go around. It is a huge role and I want to be a part of that future.” Grace and her steer, Axel, at the 2018 AJSA North Central Regional Classic.

“It’s a huge role and I want to be a part of that future.”

- Grace Arnold

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Important Dates for IJBA Members

All IJBA Board of Director applications are due online at illinoisbeef.com. To run for a director position, juniors must be at least 16-years-old by Jan. 1, 2021. For more information or questions, please reach out to Mareah Rauch at mareah@illinoisbeef.com or 217-787-4280. Virtual entries are due for the IJBA Heifer Jackpot Show at the rate of $25 per heifer and/or cow-calf pair. Exhibitor card pick-up will be during junior beef show check-in from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Late virtual entries are due for IJBA Heifer Jackpot Show at the rate of $45 per heifer and/or cow-calf pair by 3:00 p.m. IJBAIJBA Membership Meeting is at 5 p.m., IJBA Directors will be elected and food will be provided IJBA Heifer Jackpot Show at Illinois State Fairgrounds (1 hour after open steer show). Stay tuned to IBA website, email notices, and social media promotion for more details to come.