How did you get interested in agriculture? And what are you hoping to gain from your apprenticeship?
May 2024

My journey into the world of ranching and farming may not have started on a ranch, but it has been a lifelong calling, with horses always being a part of my life. I had always been interested in farming and horses when I was younger, spending a lot of time on a family friend’s farm and taking lessons at various barns. I grew up riding a bit and playing sports and was a college athlete. I graduated college and worked in the corporate setting in marketing and events, working for organizations such as the PGA TOUR. I rode hunter/jumper for awhile but western riding was what I loved most. I learned barrels and also worked as an intern at a liberty rescue and rehab facility as well as worked at a different show barns in both Massachusetts and in Kansas. 

It wasn’t until my mother passed away when I realized the integral role horses would play in my life. Getting back into riding daily after she passed, horses were the one thing that got me through a time in my life when my world was turned upside down. A couple years later, I decided to move to Montana to complete a wild mustang training certification. I believe working with horses is a lifelong journey and I continue to work on my horsemanship every day. After certification, I actively trained and adopted the horses out to good homes. I bought a mustang and trained her and within just a couple months, we were taking backcountry pack trips and exploring the mountains of Montana. We also started working some cattle together on the ranch. From there, I moved to another ranch in town and I didn’t realize it at the time, but this ranch would ultimately change the course of my life. I was introduced to the cattle business and now I can’t ever look back. I started out at the ranch as a volunteer and soon became the assistant herd manager. I played a pivotal role in managing a 200-head cow/calf operation and helped with all aspects of herd management. I also took over their marketing and social media as well.

I hope to gain knowledge and learn more about how other operations work. I hope to learn more about running a cattle operation, get better at my horsemanship skills and learn everything I can while I am here. 

More Voices