Being a National Show Superintendent is nothing new to ABGA member Tara Hicks, because she enjoys helping the younger generation.
“I love working with the youth and helping them develop skills they will use later in life,” she said. “I know there is a lot that happens behind the scenes and wanted to help out at the National Show.”
Tara threw her name in the hat to be a Superintendent and wanted to see how it would land. She is glad she did, because being selected is an honor, she said.
“It takes an army to roll out an amazing show,” she explained. “I know it’s going to be a lot of work during the week of Nationals, and we all have put a lot of time in on the behind the scenes of getting Nationals lined out.”
She’s been putting her experience to good use for the ABGA. For the past 12 years, Tara has been a Superintendent at her county fair and a member of its Junior Livestock Committee. She’s also hosted an ABGA show the past 2 years.
And it doesn’t stop there.
“I help our county agents with small ruminant clinics and farm tours,” Tara explained. “Other individuals who host ABGA shows close to home always reach out for help, and I’m always willing to help any way I can.”
Tara said she “developed the livestock show bug” growing up on her grandparents’ dairy farm. She showed registered Brown Swiss, registered polled Herefords, market lambs, steers, and commercial heifers.
“I was involved in 4-H, so I bleed green and white,” she added.
With a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Missouri State University, Tara is a Breeder Supervisor for Simmons Foods. She’s worked there for the past 7 years.
“Simmons Foods is a poultry company that has branched out into the pet food world also,” she explained. “I’ve developed a lot of knowledge about the poultry industry.”
When she’s not working or at a show, you can find her on Rock’N Heart farm, the 30 plus acres in Northwest Arkansas she has with her husband.
“Rock’N Heart is a little bit of a funny farm,” she said. “We run around 40 head of colored Boer goats, 15 head of Angus/Brangus/Hereford, 6 dogs, 2 horses, and 2 barn cats.”
How Tara became a member of ABGA might make you laugh.
“I’ve always loved showing livestock,” Tara said. “When my husband said if you want to show goats then you have to sale some horses.”
So, she sold a few horses.
“Having smaller livestock made it easy for me to load up and take off to a show by myself,” Tara added. “I have met great people and have developed an amazing goat show family.”
She’ll get to meet some for the first time at the ABGA National Show. “I’m very excited to finally meet people face to face who I’ve known on Facebook the past few years!”
