As soon as a class walks into the ring, Katie lets the animals hit her with a strong first impression.

“Because I believe first impressions say a lot about an animal. I begin by identifying the animals that excel in the fundamental traits. 

For example:

“ In a breeding heifer class, I first sort up the heifers that are 

Sound structured

Good-bodied, 

And Complete.

Once I’ve established which animals are the most fundamentally correct, I begin separating them based on the extras:

 Blance, 

Look, 

And Overall eye appeal. 

I evaluate each class on its own and place the animals based on how they compare to one another that day.”