Tyler Marker, lives in Westfield, Indiana. He serves as the Director of Enterprise with J Turner Research, and every other minute of the day he is working on Diamond Vue farms, traveling, judging, and many other things. Tyler is originally from Albion, Indiana in Noble County. Where he grew up on his family’s dairy calf farm. Tyler has continued his family’s legacy of creating and showing highly competitive show stock.

“My name is Tyler Marker, I’m 32 years old. By day I serve as Director of Enterprise with J Turner Research, and by just about every other minute I’m consulting our cattle buyers, helping judging teams, coaching showmanship, overseeing a new land purchase, and build for our show cattle operation, traveling to judge, or planning the next chapter for Diamond Vue Farms. I’m from Albion, Indiana where exceptional cattle, competitive families, and doing things the right way matters more than anything. The show ring shaped who I am, but it’s the relentless work outside the ring that really changed how I work, how I lead, and how I pour back into the next generation.”

Tyler is a fourth-generation farm kid who started like a lot of people: 4-H, the show circuits, and his FFA judging team. Tyler and his family made their way up in this industry from landing in the middle of the class to chasing grand. From learning that every ounce of effort he put in made every calf better.

“I didn’t start with a banner — I started by falling in love with one of our calves on the farm as far back as I can remember. My family had already been breeding, raising, and showing Grand Champions since 1973, when Diamond Vue Farms was officially registered. There was a gap between my parents’/uncle’s show careers and my generation of cousins, so we had some ground to make up. We went from being happy to landing in the middle of a class… to chasing Grands. Over 5–6 years of relentless learning and raising our own bar, we became consistent. In the 20 years that followed, between myself, my cousins, and my brother, we’ve been very blessed with 300+ Grand or Reserve Grand Champion titles at county, circuit, state, and national levels. What hooked me wasn’t the backdrop picture; it was the process. Early mornings, late nights, and realizing the harder I worked, the better the cattle got… and so did I.” 

“You’re only in the ring for a few moments, so you’d better love the hours nobody sees.”

Tyler’s family has one line that they keep close to them, “You never lose, you learn.” Every time a family steps into Tyler’s barn he asks them this, “Does your focus match your goals? Everyone wants to win the “big one,” but the level of focus has to match the level of success you are chasing.” 

Diamond Vue Farms

Diamond Vue Farms was established in 1941 with Tyler’s great-grandparents. In 1973 the farm became officially registered and named by Tyler’s grandparents. They created a legacy that has continued ever since. And they continued that legacy into the late 1990s, but eventually the formal paperwork lapsed. 

“For about 20 years, we just kept raising and showing cattle under our family name without a formal brand. In 2020, I had the idea to resurrect that name and push it into the future. As a family, we agreed the new focus would be on high-quality show cattle for sale beyond just our own show string. We didn’t want to be “sell you a calf and you’re on your own.” We’re highly selective about what sells under DVF — only calves we would proudly show ourselves — and we commit to our buyers as true consultants, helping families with feeding, strategy, and showmanship and tailoring plans to each calf and exhibitor.”

Since Diamond Vue Farms  began selling calves in 2023. DVF has now sold 58 calves across 7 states. From those, 117 Grand or Reserve Grand banners have been hung. 46 of the 58 have placed in the Top 5 or higher, and 50 of the 58 have won their class. 

“Resurrecting DVF has taught me everything from legal filings, and tax codes to contracts, construction management, branding, and business best practices. It’s not been the easy road, but it’s been one of the most meaningful. DVF has shaped me more than any title or office I’ve ever held. Every calf that leaves our place carries our name — it’s not just a brand on a calf, it’s a promise on how we’ll stand behind it.”

For Tyler the passion to start judging for him was in 8th grade when he froze in his first reasons room on his FFA judging team when he had to read off his notes. Tyler wanted to be better than that so Tyler went to work.

“I knew I could be better than that next time — and I desperately wanted to be. I grew up in a fifth-generation show stock family. We’ve raised Angus, built an award-winning dairy, and then honed in on championing the dairy beef project, with hogs, lambs, and goats always in the mix. My grandpa has that rare eye that can look at a mating and tell you with scary accuracy what the calf will look like. My grandparents and my mom all see cattle differently, and I learned from all of them.”

Tyler judged while at Purdue University on the dairy judging team. Where he was taught by Steve Hendress.

“At that point, that was the only species I’d been formally trained in, and I honestly wasn’t sure I could keep up with people who’d been on high-school livestock teams, so I joined a dairy under Steve Hendress. Steve was an incredible coach and an even better human. He treated us like individuals, not copy-and-paste kids in khakis and navy blazers. Under his guidance, I really honed my voice and my evaluation skills, combining that with the eye my family had given me.”  

Tyler competed very high while on the livestock judging team. He was honored to tie for High Overall Individual at the NAILE contest and earn High Overall Reasons Individual at the Fort Worth Invitational. 

This industry has been the foundation for Tyler. It has taught him more than just good stock but how to live and construct his life. From the way he leads teams to the way he makes business decisions, this industry has shaped Tyler in every which way.

“This industry didn’t just teach me how to line up a class — it taught me how to live. The people I’ve met through cattle have become my mentors, best friends, and in many ways, my chosen family. It’s shown me what it really takes to live like a champion: relentless work, long hours, and passion strong enough to carry you through the hard days. Success at any level comes at a price — and the higher the level, the higher the price. It’s not just money; it’s your time, energy, health, and sometimes your relationships. There are no free moves in this game. You have to decide if the level you’re chasing is worth the cost, and if it aligns with who you want to be. I carry those lessons into my professional life. The way I lead teams, coach people, and make company decisions comes straight from the barn: be honest, be consistent, and never ask for more of someone than you are willing to give yourself.” 

“I’m not an overly emotional person — ask anyone who really knows me. I was on a flight to speak at a national conference for my day job. When we landed, I saw I’d missed a call from an unknown number and had a voicemail. Standing in the aisle waiting to deplane, I hit play. It was NAILE, offering me the opportunity to judge in November. That voicemail is one of maybe seven times in the last several years I can remember actually crying.”

The tears of joy and the validation for Tyler he knew he had made the right choice. Tyler started to judge as his authentic self a few years back everyone told him he would never judge at the big shows if went down that path. That call was everything for Tyler to remind him to keep on going.

“ They were tears of joy and validation — that I was growing in my judging career while being myself, not the version I was initially told I had to be. A few years ago, I made a conscious decision to judge as my authentic self after being told to “blend in” and sound like everyone else or I’d never get big shows. When I made that choice, some people criticized it — but something else happened: the phone started ringing more. I was being asked to more and more shows, and the support from families and exhibitors across the country was overwhelming. Being asked to judge at NAILE was beyond meaningful. It told me I was on the right path. It wasn’t a “made it” moment — it was a “keep going like this” moment.”

“In the months leading up to NAILE, I worked hard to sharpen my skills and bring my best self to that ring out of respect for the work those families were putting in. At the end of the day, I just wanted to prove worthy of the responsibility.”

After graduating, the first shows Tyler judged were dairy shows. “ I gratefully accepted The dairy shows, and I took every non-dairy show I could to build my experience on the market species. I wanted to make sure every species and every family got the respect and knowledge they deserve from whoever is sorting their ring.”

“There is real value in being on a collegiate judging team. I encourage anyone interested — background or not — to put themselves forward. It shouldn’t be a requirement to be a professional judge, but it does teach you how to prioritize the traits that matter in an animal and, more importantly, how to professionally present and defend your reasons. If you don’t come from a team, you’ll have to find other ways to learn those foundations to deserve being on the mic.Being on a judging team — no matter how well you did — doesn’t make you a professional judge. It gives you the ability to be asked to judge a show. Only your performance in a ring earns you the right to be asked back again, and again. A college jacket might open a door, but how you sort that first show decides if it ever opens again.”

“I’m picky in showmanship at every level — but I also believe county fairs and jackpots should be safe spaces to learn.”

When it comes to showmanship Tyler’s goal is that every exhibitor who walks in the ring feels like they belong and that they were fairly evaluated. 

“As the shows get bigger, my expectations get higher. It is a privilege to show on those stages, and the best way to honor that is to be prepared and precise.” 

Tyler’s biggest “no” in the ring when it comes to showmanship is when a kid it’s not about you. 

“It’s not about you. It’s about how well you present and compliment the lines of your animal. Showmen who are trying to get noticed with big, repetitive motions distract from the real reason we’re there  — how good does your animal look?”

“ The very best showmen are subtle, smooth, and perfectly timed. Their animals are always set in a way that matches that individual’s structure. They know when to move, when to stay still, and how to show strengths while softening weaknesses. I never judge showmanship on the build of the animal. You can lead the last-place calf and still win showmanship if you show that calf like it’s a champion and make it look its absolute best. If I remember you more than your animal, you’re probably doing too much.”

Before you ever walk in the ring  under Tyler he wants , I want you to know this: “I’m not looking for perfection. I’m looking for prepared, respectful, accurate, and authentic.”

Too often Tyler sees kids trying to copy whoever just won or the latest influencer they saw on TikTok. He has found a way to tell if it’s really you. 

“It’s fine to take inspiration — just make sure it’s tailored to you and your animal. You don’t actually “win” in the ring. You win in the hours you spend in the barn.”

“I just get the job of recognizing and rewarding that hard work.”

A quick word to the parents: “if it’s clear your child doesn’t have the passion or drive you want them to have for showmanship, but they genuinely love their animals, don’t force it. Sometimes forcing showmanship creates a painful experience for everyone. Let them love the project in a way that fits who they are.”

When I asked Tyler about what he sees in his future he said this, “spend a lot of time thinking about the future — it’s one of the reasons I love showing and judging: they force me to be present. I’m not someone who broadcasts every plan before it’s real. That’s something I learned from livestock: let the work and the results speak for themselves.”

However Tyler  fully intend to keep judging on the big stages across the country, in all the market species, while never losing his connection to county fairs and circuit shows. That’s where the next generation is built. Tyler’s  partner and him  are in the process of expanding Diamond Vue Farms by building our own branch of the program from scratch.

 “We’re purchasing land, building facilities and a home in a new area of Indiana for DVF, and we’ll operate as the genetics side of the operation. Outside the ring, I plan to keep growing in my career and in pro-ag programs, organizations, and advocacy efforts. I don’t just want to win in this industry — I want to leave it better than I found it and be a meaningful, positive force for the community, industry, and lifestyle that built me”

Tyler’s biggest piece of advice:

“Whether you stay in this industry or not, you have one of the rarest opportunities in the world right now: to learn empathy — to care deeply about something beyond yourself. So the next time you don’t feel like working hair, doing chores, or working your animals, remember: you’re not just hurting your chances in the ring. You’re letting down the people who are investing in you, and you’re letting down a life that literally depends on you. Think beyond yourself. Your future self will thank you for it.When we live our lives lifting others up to succeed alongside us, we become a better, kinder, and more prosperous community. Banners fade, but the kind of person you become getting them is what lasts.”