Willard's weekend wrangling paves way for college, career
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Kati Willard

It takes a special girl to spend her weekends with a 1,000 pound sweaty boy. That's what Kati Willard does almost every weekend of the year.

No, it's not her boyfriend. It's the Texas Longhorn steers she shows throughout the state and the nation week in and week out.

Willard is a tall, slender brunette young lady who would look just as much at home on a modeling runway as she does at the side of a Longhorn steer.

Her show career began at the urging of her Papa, Gary Cole of Bullard. She was already showing cattle for her Papa when she bought her first at the age of 12.

The job of the handler is much more involved than just walking around in a circle making your steer look good to the judges. To properly learn the ins and outs and responsibilities of showing the longhorns, Willard began attending Austin's Sunrise Showmanship Camp in 2003.

"We start the week with steers that are not broken at all and work with them throughout the week," Willard said. "They teach the correct touch, how to talk to the steers, proper use of the show stick, grooming and even anatomy. And we are responsible for all of their care during the time there."

Willard says the camp has won a special place in her heart and she would love to return as a counselor when she is old enough.

This cattlewoman has traveled all over the United States showing champion steers, bulls and cows. From New Mexico to Nebraska, she has shared the show ring with many other young people from across the country and made many long lasting friendships.

"I've known some of my 'show friends' for five years," Willard said. "It's been better than I could have ever imagined."

This year Willard is serving as the secretary of the Texas Longhorn Breeders of Tomorrow. This organization is a branch of the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America.

As a handler for the cattle in her charge, Willard is responsible for reporting to the owners she shows for. She must keep expense reports, photos and a complete log of activities and shows and all results. For this work as well as her showmanship skills in the ring, Willard is paid for her services.

Kati Willard, daughter of Jimmy and Pam Willard of Whitehouse, participated in the TLBAA's World Qualifying Open Show and the Linda Moore World Qualifying Youth Division Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show on Jan. 15- 16. She showed her grandparents' three-year-old registered Texas Longhorn steer "Cole's Resolution" (pictured above) and won Reserve Junior Champion.

With this money and with the scholarship money she has already received from some of the events she has participated in, Willard has started her college fund. Her career plans include becoming a vet-tech working with large animals.

And while she may enjoy the company of Texas Longhorns, she has no desire to attend "that" university in Austin. Her dreams revolve around the maroon and white of Texas A&M University. After all, when Bevo gets sick, they don't call on someone in Austin for his care. He goes straight to Aggieland, and that's Willard's plan as well.

Willard says she has gained so much from the experiences she has had on the show circuit and has so much to be thankful for. She says she is very grateful to her parents for supporting her in this. They can't attend every show, but do their best to travel with her on weekends when the drive is within two to three hours of home. And of course Willard adores the time she spends with her grandparents in Bullard and with their Longhorns. But she and her mother both agree that being in front of large groups and becoming comfortable with herself is the greatest gift from this experience.

"I used to be so afraid to stand up in front of people and talk," Willard said. "I just couldn't do it."

But that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Willard has taken on quite a leadership role in the TLBT and in talking with adults at the shows, as well as those she is a role model for.

Yes, much more than a model on a runway, she's a role model to all those around her. The skill and patience involved in making 1,000 pounds of lean beef look good is a rare talent indeed.