Courtney Blagg grew up in Nowata, Oklahoma.  When Courtney was twelve she started making cakes to enter at her county fair. Courtney’s cakes would later lead her to find her way in the show industry.

“I grew up in Nowata, Oklahoma, with my parents and two older brothers.”

 Cortney took cake decorating in 4-H.  This led to her and her mom realizing she could make something out of her cake project. So Courtney’s mom created a facebook page that led to her cake business being born. While finding her passion for her cake business Courtney’s brother got a goat. This would later lead her on to finding her passion for the livestock industry.

“He didn’t much enjoy showing. I knew I would need one of my own come the following year.”

Like most siblings Courtney wanted to take her goats and do better than her brother. Courtney started at the bottom with what she thinks was, “possibly the worst goats ever.”

That first year that Courtney took goats would lead her to falling in love with showing. Her entire high school career was spent in the barn or in an FFA jacket. She happened to have a great relationship with people who bred show goats. For Courtney the Keesters were like a second set of parents to her – that is where she bought her show goats her whole career. Courtney started at the bottom and found a passion that took her all the way.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Courtney showed goats for eight years, and sheep for three. Showing gave Courtney a purpose. She worked her whole career for every win in and out of the ring. 

Courtney focused on perfecting her showmanship skills. She worked every day using the mirrors around her barn to help her perfect every goat and every movement. 

“I never had much money to spend on my goats, so my passion was really showmanship. That meant I spent every moment I could in my barn, setting and walking my goats.”

In Courtney’s businesses, to FFA, to the barn, there was nothing she was more passionate about than making the good goats she had into great goats. 

“Making my goats the best they could be gave me a purpose. I have seen that it has helped most other kids who have shown to find a purpose and something to care about. That is a part of the discipline that I think is most important.”

Courtney was only focused on the prize like many others. The banner, the buckle, the trophy, she chased and worked for it every moment she got.

“I didn’t appreciate the moments I should have, and I didn’t approach situations the way I should have. When I look back at my time in the show ring, I often put my self-worth into whether or not I won showmanship. I would have had a much more positive experience if I would have put my worth in the Lord.”

“It doesn’t take a name or anything else to find success; it takes drive, focus, and faith in the Lord. I am living my dream every day at no fault of my own, because even my work ethic is a blessing.”

For Courtney, creativity has always been her calling. From a young age she loved being creative from cakes to a camera in her hand.

“From a very young age, it was very evident that I would be a much better creative person than a numbers person. I had the best AG advisor in the state, who emphasized ALL parts of the agriculture industry, including communication. We had a family camera, and as much as I loved photos of my animals in the ring.  I decided to give it a try. My photography business will turn three years old this year.”

Courtney’s cake business started when she was twelve. She wanted to start photography and media businesses because of her show career. Showing gave her confidence like no other than helped her step into her passion of photography and media. 

“Showing livestock gave me the confidence to do anything – confidence was the only thing that made me good at showing. Confidence is what sets people apart, and it’s what makes us better humans.”

“My life successes are nothing but God’s plan for me.”

Courtney started working at a young age from the cakes, and camera, to the ring. She learned quickly that no matter if you’re tired, people expect the best from you.

“Showing livestock means people are counting on you, let alone the livestock depending on you. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad day or your schedule is busy; obligations are obligations, and with showing livestock and with a business, your obligations require your best, no matter what. “

 Before any of Courtney’s businesses and showing took over her life, she was like any other kid she liked being creative, and wanted to be different, original, and have something that was her’s.

“ I wanted something of my own – to be original. Still to this day, being entirely myself means about half of me only revolves around livestock. Photography has always been where I gravitate to, and graphic design has definitely grown on me. Cooper Maxwell, my boyfriend, always gives me the channel to bring my creativity into the barn and think outside of the box, and put my focus on the livestock industry. “

 When CB photography started, Courtney had a family camera, she used to practice taking photos. She saw the improvement she wanted and needed to make. So like everything Courtney has done, she took it head on!

“I saw an opportunity to show my creativity through a camera. I was blessed with many people from my FFA experience who supported me,  they let me take pictures, get experience, and learn. I tried to never put my camera down, I watched YouTube videos, I took advice, and I learned. All of those things I’m still doing. 

“Thre day you refuse to learn is the day your talent starts going downhill.”

Courtney has learned so much in her journey about discipline and responsibility. She has learned that no matter what you have to show up everyday and do your best.

“My business made me enough money to sustain my livestock, and that was all I really cared about. It was difficult to contain everything with the animals and FFA, and since I started so young, my ability to say no had not yet developed. Sometimes I would get home from a speech contest at 11 pm and have to finish a wedding cake before I went to bed. I don’t regret any of it even though it was tiring. It taught me more follow-through and work ethic than anything else I could imagine.”

Courtney has been a role model and a business woman since day one. But, she isn’t the most organized person in the world. She has found what works for her in her day to day life.

“I try to get everything done that I can do as soon as I can so I have time to truly be creative and just spend time in the barn. I push to get everything done so I can spend time being creative, being in the barn, and spending time with Jesus and my people. This isn’t something I applied at all when I started my business, but now I make sure I value time to myself, because burnout is a thing that is hard to come back from. So I prioritize not letting that happen, especially with my creative channels.”

“Don’t do anything halfway. You still have to drive to be on top, but don’t put your worth in your accomplishments, put your worth in Jesus.”

For Courtney, she sees her cake business still flowing. As CB Photography grows by the day, where she just finished around forty-five sessions  at OYE, CB Media has also picked up. As Courtney continues to grow her businesses she  hopes that God keeps her in the barn.

“I hope to do a lot more graphic work upcoming since that is my newest channel. I hope to also assist Cooper with CM Livestock in any way that I can, and with marketing in the barn. My hope is to continue to follow God’s plan in my life, and pray it keeps me in a barn!”

Courtney’s Biggest Piece of advice:

“Putting so much worth in winning, and not in the people, the animals, and the joy of everything, will be a regret. I still have a passion and a drive to be the best, but learned how to be okay with not being the best sometimes. In my experience, God is the only thing that could teach me that.  Love the people you do it with, and continue to invest and be involved in this industry, put your intentions on making good livestock and better humans. “