Tayley Becker is no stranger to a farm or County Fair. Showing animals at the fair for the past several years, Tayley has become an expert at winning awards and demonstrating exceptional handling, presentation, and knowledge of her animals.
Family life
Joshua and Amanda Becker work on a family owned ranch and farm. Their four children, Tayley, Laney, Baylin, and Redley have grown up around farm animals their whole lives and Tayley has really taken a liking to all things Ag. As a senior at Southern Valley High School, Tayley’s favorite class is Ag. “My favorite subject in school is Ag because it is something I enjoy and know a lot about,” Tayley says. Her family is very supportive and proud of how well she is doing in school.
Waypoint Bank Showmanship Scholarship
This past July, Tayley and her sheep entered the Furnas County Fair Showmanship Competition. Tayley has been showing sheep for the past seven years, and has won the Waypoint Bank Showmanship Scholarship the last three years. “Showing an animal at the fair takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication from when you first get your animal, all the way until the show.” She continues, “You can’t get discouraged on how you place when you show because everyone has their own opinions on animals and showmanship style. Just have fun with it!” Tayley has certainly had a lot of fun. She has received $1,200 in Waypoint Bank Showmanship Scholarships. She plans to use that money for college. “After high school I plan to go to SCC in Beatrice or Lincoln, Neb. I know I want to do something in agriculture because it is something that I enjoy.”
Showing an animal at the fair
A lot goes into showing an animal at the fair. Judges are looking for teamwork, precision, and professionalism.
Teamwork: How well the handler and animal work together as a team.
Precision: Attention to detail in both the animal’s presentation and the handler’s movements.
Professionalism: The overall professionalism and sportsmanship exhibited by the handler.
When evaluating the animals, the judges look for well-muscled sheep that proportionally fit their frames.
There is a lot that goes into preparing for a showmanship competition. “We get our sheep in April. For the first few weeks we just walk them around the yard and get them used to a walking and feeding schedule. After a few weeks, we take them out of their pen about a ¼ mile, and then have them practice running back to their pen.” To practice for the actual competition, Tayley and her sister walk the sheep around a practice yard so they can get used to what the contest looks like.
Future plans
“My dream in life is to graduate college, buy a house, and have a family.” When asked about her 5 and 10 year plans, she mentioned prioritizing a good paying job, a beautiful home, and a loving family. She is currently saving up for a car that she can take to college. Being diligent about saving money has been important in order for her to achieve this goal.
Well rounded
In her free time, Tayley enjoys hanging out with her family and friends. She is an important member of her school’s cross country team, and basketball team. She likes cross country because she likes to compete against herself and work on being the best she can be. Last year, Tayley made it to the State competition along with another student at her school.
Waypoint Bank is proud of Tayley Becker and the rest of the Showmanship winners. The other winners of the Waypoint Bank 2024 Showmanship Scholarship were Aislyn Koch, Brenna Deterding, and Brooke Wendland. Congrats to all the winners!
Derek Downer, Branch President of Waypoint Bank – Cambridge, is a passionate advocate for youth involvement in 4-H and FFA. “We really enjoy giving out the showmanship scholarships,” said Downer. “We feel it is important to support 4-H and young people in agriculture. When kids are involved in 4-H or FFA, they learn that hard work leads to success.” Downer added, “The showmanship scholarships are designed to reward the effort and hard work that the kids have put in preparing their animals for the fair.”
