Local student wins Overall Reserve Grand Champion

A local Moulton native, Bailey Petrek, has won the Reserve Grand Champion overall of the bred and owned Red Brahman Bulls at the World Brahman Congress. This was a breed show, and it was all Brahman cattle participating in the congress.

“Basically, I had a bred and owned bull with reserve overall of the whole show of the World Brahman Congress,” Bailey said. “Next year, the show will be in New Mexico. This year it was in Bryan, Texas at the Brazos County Expo. I consider this a big win, it’s basically like winning best Brahman in the world. There were people from all over. Some of the kids that were there were from Florida and Louisiana and everywhere else. It’s such a huge honor.”

The last time the World Brahman Congress was in the U.S. was in 2008. The congress is every two years.

In order participate in for an overall champion, you have to win your division first. Bailey also won Senior Division Champion owned and bred.

“The bull is a red bull,” Bailey said. “He’s been winning a lot. We took him to a lot of places, and he has never disappointed us. He’s my big baby and is so sweet. We bred this bull ourselves; he is an embryo calf. We actually own his dad. His dad is a very famous bull. A lot of people bought semen off of him and now a lot of people are starting to buy semen off of my bull.”

“We have been in the cattle business all of our lives, but raising and showing registered Brahmans regularly started around nine years ago. My mom inspired me to show Brahmans. I’m glad I started it because showing Brahman’s has been the best part of my school year.”

Bailey's mom and stepdad, Chad Eaton, have been selling a lot of the bull’s semen to Thailand lately.

There were a lot of good bulls at the congress, so it’s a big deal for Bailey to win this title of Reserve Grand Champion.

“This was a once in a lifetime thing for our kid as far as being junior showman, so we’re very honored to be able to participate and win the honor we have for our cattle,” Bailey’s mom, Windy Petrek said.

Windy is very proud of her daughter.

“It takes a lot of dedication and a lot of work when it comes to showing animals,” Windy said. “When we go to the shows, it’s not us that does the work for them. The kids are responsible for caring for the animal and doing everything that needs to be done for these animals. The whole reason for doing this is to teach them responsibility and to teach them how to follow something through to the end.”

“There’s a beginning and there’s an end. Bailey started with this bull when he was a baby and now this is where we’re at as a senior bull. It teaches them so much including respect. The Brahman Association is so good for kids because they provide so many opportunities for these kids. They also offer so many scholarship opportunities. It’s taught her communication. Bailey used to not be confident when it came to talking to people she didn’t know. She’s built that confidence by showing these Brahmans. At the Brahman shows, you have to talk. If you want to promote your bull, you have to talk to people. Not too long ago, Bailey wanted to purchase semen on a bull that she found herself, so we made her call the owner and she did all the talking. Years before, when we started doing this, she would have never felt confident doing that.”

Bailey said this win will be positive for her in terms of cattle.

"The calf that this bull sires will be worth a lot more,” Bailey said. “We had quite a few people wanting to buy him. At the show, a lot of people wanted to buy him. He’ll make us some money by selling his semen, but we for sure won’t be selling him anywhere because I’m a little attached.”

Bailey said there was a particular reason she chose this Brahman breed.

“Why not a Brahman,” Bailey said. “If you were going to look at anything in our pasture, you would want to look at Brahmans. They are the main breeding piece of any cow that would survive in south Texas or any gulf coast area. Some of the traits we’re looking for include something that is sound and could travel. From there on, other things come into play. We are from a commercial background, so shows are not the first thing we breed for. They have to be functional, profitable and fertile. For show cattle, we definitely want them gentle with qualities of a show animal.”

“A lot of people like this bull because he has a lot of muscle mass and he’s very moderate. He’s what people look for in a bull.”

There’s much work and care that must be done with a Brahman like this.

“They usually get rinsed once a week,” Windy said. “The kids have to constantly work with the bull so that way the animal is used to them. Whenever you walk in a ring, you want your animal to ‘walk into it.’ That means how you want that animal to stand there when you’re showing it. You don’t want to have to go in there and poke on its feet or do much with it. The kids have to practice trust.”

Bailey said her bull has full trust in her and they have a special bond.

Bailey has some advice for others who want to pursue showing livestock.

“You have to have a lot of patience with cattle,” Bailey said. “Brahmans can be bipolar. You have to have the dedication to want to do it and be able to push yourself and focus on that animal. Cattle need a lot of care. They’re like humans. They have to be fed two times a day and they need to be bathed."

Windy said kids should not be afraid to show cattle.

"Even if you don't win at one show, that doesn't mean you won't win at the next," Windy said. "As long as you're trying and doing your best, at the end of the day, that's all that matters."

Bailey and her mom would like to thank Eaton for his part in the success of Bailey's endeavor. Bailey said after she graduates, she still plans on showing Brahmans in the open.

“We will always as a family be showing Brahmans,” Windy said.