McMullen named Overall Grand Champion
Dec. 13—THOMASVILLE- Senior Kylee McMullen of the Thomas County Junior Livestock Association just returned from Hattiesburg, Mississippi with a new title: Grand Champion Overall Showman and Grand Champion Brahman Heifer for the EBBA Christmas Classic.
This is not McMullen's first time making a splash in Hattiesburg. In 2019, McMullen was named Reserve Grand Champion Senior Showman at the Junior National Show, making her second showman in the United States.
McMullen has been showing Brahman cattle for the past 11 years, and fell in love with the showmanship world after various travels led her to meeting new friends and learning new techniques.
"One of my favorite parts is traveling the world and getting your name out everywhere," she said. "Colleges and big breeders of Brahman cattle all know who you are."
The path to getting there and having the breeders learn her name wasn't always easy, though.
McMullen admits she was extremely nervous when she first started showing.
"Now that I have my name out there, though and have good cattle, the competition has become easier," she said. "I'm not saying it's easy. It's never easy, but it's just easier than someone whose name isn't out there yet."
McMullen had a right to be confident, as she won Grand Champion Overall Showman.
She explained that during showmanship, judges are looking at her specifically.
"They are looking me, my presence, how I look," she said. "They want to see how docile my cows are and how I set up my cow and how clean it is."
However, all eyes are on her Brahman Heifer when it comes time for the actual show.
"They want to see how my cow looks," she said. "They are looking to see if she has too much skin or not enough, her pigmentation, her bones. A big thing is structure and how she walks, making sure her hooves aren't bad or crippled in any way."
Preparing for the show doesn't come overnight.
McMullen spends her mornings and nights checking in on her cattle.
In the mornings, the cattle are let out of their pens after eating all night. They are then set free to graze and roam about.
When McMullen returns home from school, she begins working with the younger calves, hoping to earn their trust.
"We have a thing called a show stick," she explained. "We use it in the ring to calm them down, but you have to get them used to it. Newer baby calves are scared."
Trust is one of the main factors with Brahman babies, McMullen shared.
"They remember everything," she claimed. "If you talk to them in a negative way about something, they'll remember that. You just have to be very careful."
The calves enter the show ring at approximately one-year-old and age out at -years old to begin their life in the pasture.
"They go to two or three shows a month, so after the first two they usually have the hang of it, but until then we have to practice every day," she said.
Even though it's hard work, McMullen wouldn't change it for the world.
In fact, McMullen said she doesn't see a world where she is never involved with Brahman cattle, rather it be through showmanship or spending time on her family farm. She even hopes to marry and eventually raise children to show Brahman cattle as well.
While she loves spending time on the farm and with her animals, McMullen was just accepted into ABAC and plans to pursue a path as a Nurse Practitioner.
Until then, McMullen will continue competing, with her next show on January in Green Cove Springs, Florida, where McMullen will hopefully acquire more belt buckles and banners.
