From sitting in an office, to standing outside the show ring both Julie Judge and Courtney Vance have had a crucial part in the life lessons that kids are learning around the ring! Each of them are heavily involved in many different youth livestock organizations like MI Shows and the Michigan Junior Livestock Society.
Vance's son getting involved in the shows.
MI Shows is a show points program for youth cattle exhibitors. Kids are able to travel all over Michigan and participate in multiple different shows and learn along the way. Courtney Vance, loan processor in Charlotte says, “There are a couple of different categories that the kids can accumulate points. One is how well the kids place in showmanship and how well their animal ranks in the breeding category. Another is how well they place in market class. And the final category is really about them showing off what they know by them participating in the educational contests offered at some of the shows.”
MI Shows group photo.
There wasn’t always a program for kids to participate in. It all started when Julie Judge, now a financial services officer in the Cadillac office, was approached by her college roommate, Christie Johnston, nine years ago with this idea for a cattle exhibitor show points program in Michigan. “At the time, there was a points program for the sheep and pigs, and other states had points programs for cattle exhibitors, but Michigan did not,” Judge said. “It felt like it was a need that needed to be filled for our community.”
This program has completely changed the shows for the cattle industry. Judge says, “When I showed eons ago, you showed at Winter Beef Show, the summer show in Lansing, and at your county fair. The shows were few and far between. Eventually more people were starting to have a few smaller jackpots in the spring and Christie was like, ‘this is something that could promote not only livestock in Michigan, but our youth in Michigan by having this points program and more shows will evolve’, which is what happened!” In the 2023-2024 show season there are 27 shows that kids can participate in, with over 250 kids participating in the points program!
MI Shows group photo.
Each child that participates in the points program is eligible to win prizes. “Our program averages $18,000 in prizes each year! We also give away scholarships to any youth that have participated in MI Shows and is currently enrolled in college!” Vance says.
“It's a great program for kids to participate in! Through the MI Shows points program my daughter has made some great friends and it has taught her some tough life lessons,” Judge says. “When you want to win you are chasing the points by going to these different shows with the same people and competing against the same people who may be your friends. It is a good way to learn friendly competitiveness, and winning and losing with grace because you are either being beat by or beating some of your closest friends.”
Vance's daughter showing.
GreenStone is proud to have employees like Judge and Vance who are both directors on the MI Shows program board and have gone above and beyond in their communities to help the future generations of agriculture. Learn more about our community outreach and engagement efforts by visiting our outreach page.
