Harvey Mackay once said, “Find something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” and freshman Graysen Vanya found this exceptionally true.

Since he was in eighth grade, Vanya has been showing animals and participating in the National Future Farmers of America Organization. Vanya particularly enjoys showing his breeding heifer, Mable. On March 30, Vanya showed Mable and won first place at the YMBL rodeo. 

Vanya has struggled in the past with finding something that he can enjoy and be proud of. He has always had a love for animals, and one day he decided to start working with them. 

“I started showing animals because of the people that I meet and the time I get to spend with those people,” Vanya said. 

Not only does he enjoy meeting new people and working with animals, but he also enjoys the fight to win a shiny new medal and sometimes a shiny belt buckle.

“I showed rabbits at my first meet, and it was super easy because the amount of time you spend with rabbits is not a lot. As I continued to show, I found that I really enjoyed doing it because I like the challenge, competitiveness and the rewards,” Vanya said.

Vanya’s favorite animal to show is his breeding heifer, Mable. 

“My favorite part of my heifer is her dewlap which is the flappy skin on her neck because it is very soft and just fun to play with,” Vanya said.