our youth: AG KIDS
Steering Toward Success
Spring Creek 4-H Club’s Brylee Halie
BY JOSHUA MATA
DECEMBER 2016
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
H
ere in Parker County there is and
always will be a strong connection to agriculture. Just off of U.S.
Highway 51 South is a church where
members of the Spring Creek 4-H
Club meet. One of those members
is Brylee Haile, a 15-year-old
Weatherford High School student.
Brylee has been a member of 4-H
for seven years and has served as a
parliamentarian for four of them. Her
specialty is showing steers. Brylee’s
job is to walk, groom, and keep these
steers in top shape to show to judges
in order to sell them.
“I got into showing steers when
my dad just brought one home one
day and introduced me to it,” Brylee
said. “Also, I had a lot of friends that
were into 4-H and my dad said it was
a good one for starters, and that’s
how I got into it.”
Spring Creek 4-H is designed to
introduce children and teenagers to
the world of agriculture. The 4-H
motto stands for head, heart, hands
and health. “It’s an amazing organization and has introduced me to a lot
of new people and friends; I love it so
much,” she said.
The shows in which Brylee
competes are held all over Texas
with some of the larger shows
held in Fort Worth, San Antonio,
Houston and San Angelo. “It’s a lot
of fun going to these different places
because you meet so many new
people,” Brylee said. Right now,
she has two steers named Rere and
Firecracker, both of European breed.
“Rere is a bit dumb but is honestly
my favorite one,” she added.
The work that goes into taking
care of these steers is tremendous.
Every day she walks, feeds and
grooms these animals. “It is a lot of
work and it’s very time consuming
88
but has taught me how to manage my
time,” Brylee said.
Outside of 4-H, she is a part of
the Weatherford High School Golf
Team and is a Future Farmer of
America member. When asked about
her future, Brylee sees herself studying agriculture, but she also has an
interest in veterinary work. “It’s just
had a huge impact on my life and I
can’t see myself without it now,” she
said. “My parents have been such
a huge impact on me, leading and
helping me all the time with it, along
with Kayla Neil who works in the
Ag-Extension office. They have really
helped me out.”
Brylee’s strong love for showing steers is just another example of
how big agriculture is here in Parker
County and how it will never fade
away.