Youth finds success in show ring; Motivation, opportunity combine in East Texas

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Alta Halbert, 16, of Daingerfield, switched from being active in sports to competing in the livestock shows. Opportunity came from Sid and Eva Greer who raise Maine Anjou cattle. The Greers supply the heifer for Alta to show, and the teen works on their ranch. -Staff photo by Hemmingsen

January 23, 2003 -- Exhibiting livestock in show competitions is one aspect of the FFA and 4-H programs. For one 16-year-old Daingerfield girl, showing was not in her game plan, but it has turned out to be a "great" experience.

Alta Halbert was a varsity player in many high school sports. After two years, she felt the sports program was not all she wanted it to be.

"The girls were arguing and then there were problems with the coaches that I decided to do something else," Halbert said.

That something came with the help of cattleman Sid Greer and the school's ag teachers.

Halbert went to work for Greer, who owns registered Maine Anjou cattle. She went to the ranch near Daingerfield after school to take care of the animals, clean stalls, and complete other manual labor chores.

"Mr. Greer was after me for about a year to get me to show. He hounded me. Mr. Spradlin (ag teacher) talked to me about showing. Now, I am glad I did it," Halbert explained.

Spradlin was Halbert's ag teacher at the time she began searching for a new extracurricular activity.

Halbert, who is in the first year of showing, is excited about showing one of Greer's heifers.

"There are more perks than downfalls to showing. You have cows that adore you and will follow you everywhere, and you meet new people at the shows," the high school junior said.

Halbert's first show was during the Four States Fair & Rodeo in Texarkana in September 2002.

"I was nervous. I didn't know what I was doing. Mr. Spradlin's brother was the judge and he keep telling me I was doing a good job," Halbert remembered.

Halbert didn't place at that show, but at the recent Pewitt show (which was her third show), she placed first in the class and went on to win Reserve Champion.

"Alta was real excited about the win," Greer said.

As far as the heifer Halbert shows, Truffles, the 16-year-old said she is enjoying taking care of her.

"Mr. Greer is letting me begin to train others (for showing). I wouldn't trade this. It's great," Halbert exclaimed.

Halbert is the fourth young person who has shown Greer's cattle. Greer is very active in the Maine Anjou associations and mentoring youth.

"We would like to continue to help the young people. It has really worked out with Alta and we foresee helping other kids who are unable to afford an animal," Eva Greer, Sid's wife, said.

"We are really proud of Alta and the heifer," Greer added. "They have really bonded in the last month."

Halbert is now gearing up for the major shows of Fort Worth and Houston.

"I have Fort Worth, then the open show, and then Houston. I am looking forward to going," Halbert said.