Katie Kempen: Grateful For Every Aspect Of Her Career

Katie Kempen, from Wharton, Texas. Katie Kempen has grown in the industry not just in age but in personal growth. She has been involved in every aspect of the industry – from showing, judging, and even some coaching. Katie has had an incredible career and is very grateful for everything she has been able to accomplish.

“Hi, my name is Katie Kempen, I am 25 years old and I live in Wharton,Texas.”

Both of Katie’s parents were Ag teachers. So like most Katie started her journey in the industry as early as possible.

“From as early as I could remember I was surrounded by and actively involved in all things agriculture.”

Katie’s passion for the industry started in the ring and has stayed in the ring just in a different aspect.

“I showed my first steer when I was eight years old. As hard as my parents worked to provide for my sister and me, the reality was that we couldn’t always afford the cattle we wanted. Because of that, we learned to recognize potential and trust the process.”

Katie wanted to follow in her older sister Kylie’s shoes. “If you know her, then you know those are some pretty big shoes to fill.”

Over time, Katie’s love for livestock judging became more than just something she grew up around. “I think I truly became serious about it the day everything finally clicked for me.”

Since she was eight years old Katie has been participating in livestock judging. Katie’s first judging coach who helped her grow to be the judge she is today was her dad.

“My dad was my first judging coach. He hauled me up and down the road, and truthfully, at that age he was probably just hoping I numbered the classes correctly and filled out my Scantron the right way.”

“As I became more involved in high school, I also had the opportunity to judge under Mr. Chuck Real. A name in this industry that needs no introduction.”

Katie was competing at the State Fair judging contest in Dallas when she realized it was time to buckle down and fully invest herself in the sport. Katie took that moment with her throughout the years. She knew that she needed to work harder on everything livestock judging involved.

“From that moment on, I knew this was something I wanted to pursue with passion and purpose.”

When it came time to decide where Katie wanted to continue her education and collegiate judging career it was one of the hardest decisions for her.

“I honestly had no idea how much that decision would shape the rest of my life.”

Katie toured one college,”Connors State College in little ol’ Warner, Oklahoma.” Those two years at Connors State left a mark on Katie’s life.

“During that time, I experienced more growth in livestock judging and personal development than at any other point in my journey. My coaches, Nolan Hildebrand and Jesse Henson, brought a competitive spirit that was truly contagious. Our team went on to earn Co-Team of the Year honors alongside Butler Community College. An accomplishment none of us would have expected at the beginning of the journey.”

Katie says she doesn’t believe livestock judging is a linear process. She thinks that growth comes over time and throughout the years.

“I think there are stages of growth, and sometimes there are moments when it even feels like you’ve gone backwards. Looking back, I can remember the exact moment I realized I could truly be competitive in this industry.”

For Katie that moment was when her team at Connors State College had just finished judging at the American Royal.

“We had a good day, but at the time none of us really understood what that meant. There were still areas where we struggled, and truthfully, my teammates and I (who would probably all agree with this statement) were a group of misfits trying to figure it out. We worked hard and wanted to win, but we didn’t yet understand what winning actually looked like.”

“I don’t think anyone was more shocked than we were when we won the Royal.”

Katie believes that moment changed something in all of them. Everything clicked for them as they all experienced a level of shock and joy.

“It finally clicked that we could be successful in this sport. Looking back now, I truly believe that contest launched us toward the success we would later achieve, and for me personally, it was the moment everything started to come together.”

Katie later transferred to Texas A&M University, where she learned how to strategically evaluate livestock on a much deeper level. While earning her master’s degree.

“I was also fortunate enough to help coach several incredibly talented teams. An experience that further strengthened my passion for the industry and the people in it.”

“Looking back, I believe those experiences pushed me to become a better feeder, showman, and ultimately a better evaluator. Nothing has ever brought me more pride or strengthened my love for this industry more than seeing hard work pay off. Sometimes it took a long time to reach that moment, but when it finally came, it made the reward that much sweeter.”

For Katie there are two crucial things to consider every time she steps into the ring as a judge. “First is recognizing the quality of the show or class you are judging, and second is staying true to the fundamentals.”

“Those are two principles I try to keep at the forefront every time I judge a show, regardless of the level.”

Katie’s priorities are established long before she ever enters the ring. “No matter the breed, color, presentation, or even the showman behind them, I try to sort fundamentally correct livestock to the top.”

Katie knows that’s a hard thing to pull through on. She has realized that Sometimes the flashy, uniquely designed, and exceptionally presented ones naturally grab your attention and keep you interested.

“But at the end of the day, they still have to be fundamentally sound livestock, and I try to stay committed to that mindset.”

Katie says, “I like the hard-to-make ones as much as the next gal. But I also believe fault-free, complete livestock is just as difficult to produce. Because of that, I try not to let the “neat pieces” pull me off course unless those pieces are supported by industry backed fundamental traits.”

When Katie hits the ring for showmanship the first thing she does is establish her clear priorities before she enters.

“I believe consistency and fairness start with having clear priorities before I ever step into the ring.”

To Katie showmanship is about evaluating how effectively an exhibitor presents their animal while still maintaining control, composure, and an understanding of livestock.

“Things like ring presence, awareness, keeping the animal positioned correctly, smooth and efficient movement, and how well the exhibitor responds to the judge all matter greatly. I also pay close attention to how prepared the exhibitor is and whether they understand their animal beyond just leading it around the ring.”

“Great showmen make livestock look their absolute best, regardless of the situation.”

“The best exhibitors are able to adapt, stay composed under pressure, and maintain confidence whether things are going perfectly or not.”

To ensure consistency and fairness, Katie tries to evaluate every exhibitor through the same lens regardless of age, reputation, breed, or how competitive the class may be.

“My approach to judging showmanship is probably pretty chaotic to most people, but truthfully, chaos is where elite showmen thrive.”

Katie says she likes a smart showman. “Someone willing to go the extra mile to get the very best look out of their animal.”

“To me, the best showmen don’t just know where the feet are supposed to go. They understand how their particular animal looks best, and they present it accordingly.”

“Great showmanship is not robotic; it is strategic. The best exhibitors are constantly thinking ahead, looking for ways to gain a slight edge over their competition, and as a judge, I can usually identify those individuals from the moment they step into the ring.”

“Prepared showmen are confident showmen.”

For Katie it goes a long way with her when an exhibitor truly understands both the strengths and flaws of their animal and actively works to highlight the positives while minimizing the negatives.

“That level of awareness, preparation, and adaptability separates good showmen from elite ones.”

For Katie she didn’t have the most flashy show career. Which has made her incredibly grateful for where she is today.

“I’m just a girl from San Antonio, Texas and I never thought that I’d be where I am today. I feel incredibly lucky to have been offered so many opportunities this early in life.”

Katie’s goal everyday is to learn something new and grow not only as a judge but as a person.

“If you know me then you know I spend every day of my life in a barn, at a show, or giving back to the youth of agriculture. I hope when exhibitors leave my ring, regardless of how they place, they feel I gave them a fair evaluation of their animal.”

Katie hopes when they see her they feel inspired that they can do it too. “My journey was not traditional, I didn’t come from a big family ranch with a lot of cattle or land. It takes some people their whole life to discover their passion and I feel blessed to have found mine so early in life. I hope I can impact exhibitors to find their passion within the industry. “

“Be kind.”

“That’s my biggest piece of advice. Be kind, because you never know what battles people are facing behind the scenes. You never know the impact you can have on a single person. You don’t know how far a smile, or encouraging words can go.”