While in an Ag Industry class with Trinity Valley Community College Instructor of Agriculture and Ranch Management, Charles “Marc” Robinson, TVCC student Ruby Caldwell heard a few students discussing the Beef Cattle Show Team.

“They were discussing the show team and how there’s scholarship opportunities,” Caldwell shared. “I’ve showed goats and rabbits in FFA [Future Farmers of America] and I’ve been around cows all my life, so I thought I could show them.”

Caldwell explained that she approached Robinson, who is also the Ranch Manager and Beef Cattle Show Team Sponsor, interested in being a show team member. Robinson advised Caldwell to start learning the process. During the fall 2023 semester, Caldwell would spend three afternoons a week at the TVCC Ranch learning how to handle, clip and the basics on showing cattle.

“I started going to the barns three days a week, learning how to show, wash them, clip them,” Caldwell said. “I learned there’s a right way and a wrong way to wash a cow. And how you clip bulls and heifers is different. It was a learning process, and I had a lot of help from people on the team.”

In early December 2023, a spot opened for the Beef Cattle Show Team and Caldwell was added. Her first competition as an official member was at the 2024 Fort Worth Stock Show in late January where she won second place in her class and won the Reserve Senior Division title with the 2208 she clipped, fitted and showed.

“Though I put in the work to get her ready, the cow deserves all the praises,” Caldwell laughed out. “I just walked her out there, she did all the work. Plus, she’s pregnant now so she’s a hardworking momma!”

For Caldwell, TVCC wasn’t always the first choice. When considering options, she had a lot of questions and doubts about college.

“I didn’t really know where I was going to go and I was in that last semester of high school and had a lot of unanswered questions,” she explained. “One of my friends got a band scholarship [from TVCC] and said ‘You should try-out. TVCC is a good school that will take only two years’ and I agreed to try.”

Caldwell auditioned for the TVCC band as a Baritone player, received a scholarship, went to her first days of band camp, and realized it was not the route for her.

“I was burnt out,” she said. “I’ve done band all my junior high school and high school years and if you do something too long sometimes you get tired of it.”

Though the band program wasn’t the place for her, Caldwell believes she was meant to be a member of the Beef Cattle Show Team.

“I felt like I was at home,” she explained. “Everyone on the team makes me feel wanted and a part of the team. I felt like I finally found my place.”

Caldwell shared that her teachers at TVCC are always helpful, happy to work with students and answer any questions from students. Besides her agricultural classes, Caldwell’s favorite class to attend at TVCC is history.

“I love my history class,” she expressed. “I have Dr. [David] Powell’s history class. His classes are lecture-based, and he has notes on his screen. It is the best class! If you have any questions, he’ll happily answer and explain thoroughly.”

Caldwell plans to attend Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX upon graduating from TVCC to become an Ag Teacher.

Caldwell suggests that anyone that is interested in the show team should give it a try.

“If you join, you will make friends,” Caldwell said. “One of the girls on the team I have class with, we travel together, and we are always hanging out and she’s become one of my best friends. The team is like a family. If you don’t know anything about showing cows, but are interested in it, they will teach you and help you.”

For students interested in learning about the Beef Cattle Show Team or interested in joining the team, students can reach out to the Beef Cattle Show Team Sponsor Marc Robinson at mrobinson@tvcc.edu.