The livestock world is filled with those who share a common passion. Kids and adults alike are passionate about their animals, the competition and the friends they make along the way. In this Spotlight, we are going to feature two young exhibitors, both sixth graders, who became involved due to their family. They are Hadley Dunklau and Braxton Blankenship! They love the bigger shows and have a drive to succeed.
Meet Hadley Dunklau
Hadley Dunklau hails from Wayne, Nebraska. She is 12 years old and in the sixth grade at Wayne Elementary. Her parents are Ryan and Crystal, and she is the oldest of her siblings, Wyatt 10, Blayne 7, and Kyler 4.
Meet Braxton Blankenship
Braxton Blankenship is 11 years old. He is also in the sixth grade, and he attends Lincoln Middle School in Lincoln, Arkansas.
Tell us about yourself.
HD: When I’m not showing cattle, I stay busy with basketball and softball. I am also on student council, a bank teller for our school’s kid bank and the Chianina Princess. I started showing cattle when I was just 4 years old and have been hooked ever since.
BB: I officially started showing when I was 5 years old. My mom showed pigs, then my older brother, and then I started. I also play baseball, and I am active in my church youth group.
What species/breeds do you show?
HD: I currently show cattle (but hope to convince my parents to let me have pigs this year). I started showing Herefords and have shown everything from Maines, Chianina and Charolais. As much as I love breeding cattle, my favorite thing to show is steers.
BB: I show pigs and all breeds. This year was our first year to get a Tamworth. My pig’s name is Whitny, and she has been really fun to have in the barn.
Which Sure Champ® products do you use?
HD: I currently feed Sure Champ® Cattle daily to my show cattle. My family and I have also used Liquid Boost® in preparation for shows.
BB: Our family uses the Vita Charge® Gel and Liquid Boost.
What are the biggest benefits you have seen using our products?
HD: We have noticed that our cattle stay healthier and travel better while using these products.
BB: We expect a lot out of our animals so we do what we can to provide them with the best care. We like your products to help with reducing the stress of traveling nearly every week during the fall show season.
What is your favorite show, and why?
HD: Louisville (North American) is my favorite show because of the famous green shavings. I also get to see some of my friends only at that show.
BB: My favorite show has always been the American Royal. There is a lot of stuff to do in Kansas City and at the American Royal. It is also a place I get to see friends from all over the country. I love all shows, but KC is one of my favorites.
What is your favorite pre-show ritual?
HD: I really don’t have a pre-show ritual. My parents would say my pre-show ritual when I was little was to go to the bathroom, so I didn’t do the pee dance.
BB: My favorite pre-show ritual is usually drinking a Dr. Pepper and driving my mom crazy.
What are your plans for the future?
HD: Well, I’m only 12, so I don’t have any future school/career plans just yet. My future show goals are to win supreme heifer and grand steer at a national show.
BB: I want to be a successful vet when I grow up.
Who is your biggest role model, and why?
HD: My biggest role models are my parents and Joe Herr. All three of them can be pretty tough on me. In the moment I might not like it, but I know that they are doing it to make me better at caring for and showing my cattle.
BB: I am lucky and have a lot of role models. My biggest role models are my grandparents. My grandpa and grandma have passed away, but they got us into showing. I know they are with me all the time.
What is your favorite/greatest accomplishment?
HD: I have been fortunate to have success with both my heifers and steers in the past 8 years. Though the success I have had has been great, my favorite part so far is watching my show heifers turn into some of our top donors. Many of my show heifers have gone on to produce champion heifers, bulls and steers.
BB: We do everything as a family and share our show wins. I have been lucky and have banners from big shows like Arizona National, American Royal, Arkansas State Fair and Arkansas Youth Expo. However, my favorite is watching my brother win Champion Landrace Gilt and Reserve Grand Overall Gilt at the NJSA Southwest Regional in 2022.
Do you have any special and/or major achievements from this year that stand out?
HD: The biggest accomplishment this summer was raising the Reserve Grand Champion Polled Hereford at Jr. Nationals. My biggest accomplishments this fall included being named Premier Maine Breeder at Kansas City and Premier Maine Exhibitor at Louisville.
You can Excel like Hadley and Braxton!
We are so proud of these multi-generation exhibitors using Sure Champ products as they #PreptoWin! Great work, Hadley and Braxton. Wouldn’t it be fun if Hadley’s parents said yes to a pig project? Perhaps she and Braxton could show against one another at his favorite show, the American Royal?
Just like Hadley Dunklau and Braxton Blankenship, you, too, can power your champions with Sure Champ products. Sure Champ products contain AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility. Since we know that 70% of the immune response starts in the digestive system, keeping that healthy helps keep your animals performing.
Turn to Sure Champ!
Find your Sure Champ products at your closest local dealer. Or you can always purchase them online, too.
Would you like to be featured in our Spotlight? Submit your champions so we know that you have been successful. We’ll reach out to you for more information.
