our youth: AG KIDS
Sharp Shooting
Show Girl
BY KATHERINE ROSE
M
AUGUST 2016 PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
akenzie Sheffield has been heavily involved in
showing since long before she ever entered the ring.
Makenzie was always helping her two older brothers with
their animals and it was the tradition passed on to her.
Since her parents own a cattle ranch, Makenzie has
always had her pick of heifers. This year she showed two
Simmental heifers, Innocent Joy and Carolina. (She calls
them Joy and Carl.) This year Makenzie won Division
Champion for spring heifers at the Houston Live Stock
Show and at San Antonio, Reserved Division Champion
at the Fort Worth Stock Show and placed 8th for the South
Central Regional Classic for Overall Pure Breed Heifer.
The advice she wants to pass on to others about showing is, “If it is a bad day and your heifer is not doing
what they are supposed to be doing just work your way
through it; it’s going to be ok and tomorrow is another
day.” Makenzie enjoys helping other people accomplish
their goals, helping children learn about 4-H, showing
and how to care for and handle their animals.
Over her years of showing, Makenzie has faced many
obstacles, but what she still faces is that she gets discouraged easily, especially when she is having a rough day. “I
turn to God and ask Him to help me and through that I’ve
learned to believe in myself and how to get through the
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PHOTO BY STEVE SCHILLIO
hard times,” she said.
But showing cattle is not all that this young woman
does in her spare time. Makenzie is also a part of the 4-H
shooting club. Wanting to do something that was different, she joined the 4-H shooting club this past October
and started going to lessons. Her favorite weapon is the
rifle. She has a Walther 22 Caliber Anschutz air rifle.
Recently at the USA Shooting Nationals in Fort Benning,
Georgia, Makenzie went beyond her set goals by exceeding her previous personal best score with her small bore
and air rifle. She is also very involved as an ambassador
in 4-H and competes in public speaking. Being in 4-H
she hopes to “help kids younger than me grow into what
they believe they can be.”
After graduating Peaster High School, Makenzie plans
to pursue a career in AG or Nursing and plans to attend
either TCU or Texas Tech.