Helena’s Lowry wins NWSS showmanship honors
DENVER, COLORADO- Montana 4Her and FFA Member Isabelle Lowry was named Grand Champion Intermediate Cattle Showman during the National Western Stock Show Market Steer Show in Denver. Lowry who has been showing cattle since her first year of 4H at the age of 8 has held a life-long dream and goal to show cattle at National Western Stock Show. She began showing in Denver with both market hogs and market lambs for many years before showing cattle there for the first time in 2019.
Last January she took her dream and goal one step further by showing a prospect steer named Max at the National Western Stock Show prospect steer show. A trip through the show ring itself felt like a big victory for Lowry as Max was the most challenging steer she had ever worked with in the weeks prior to arriving in Denver for that show. She reported that “Max was almost impossible to halter break and at times I thought it was just not going to work with him but he was already entered in the prospect steer show which was a dream of mine so I was determined not to give up on him.” It was only when the pair arrived in Denver to begin preparations in the days ahead of that show that a partnership looked like it would be possible. “Showing in Denver was the best thing for me and Max because he finally let his guard down and began to trust me while we were there.” To top off their experience they won their prospect steer class while in Denver in January 2019.
The first trip to Denver together began a year of amazing experiences and success for the pair. They enjoyed traveling throughout the country logging both showmanship and market wins along the way. Most notably the pair were Reserve Champion Prospect Steer and Grand Champion Showman at the Spokane Junior Livestock Show in May where Lowry also earned the Gladhart Award for Champion Overall 4H Showman following the Round Robin Showmanship competition and were later selected as Grand Champion Steer at Pacific International Livestock Exposition together in June. The pair enjoyed many other jackpot wins along the way to their return trip to Denver this January.
Lowry said “This turned out to be such an amazing year with Max. I had a chance to show at the North American International Livestock Exposition, N.A.I.L.E. in November on the famous green wood chips with my buddy Max which was really cool.” However a dream and goal for Lowry for many years has been to show at the Market Steer Show at National Western Stock Show in Denver. “Showing Max again at Denver where our journey together began a year earlier was an experience I will remember forever.” The over year-long journey came full circle this January as the pair won Grand Champion Intermediate Showmanship honors and were also First Place in Class Ten of the Market Steer Show together in Denver.
Right now Lowry is taking a little time to enjoy the success while also working to set goals for herself and her livestock for the upcoming season. Raised on a cattle ranch she raises cattle, hogs and lambs that she has enjoyed exhibiting locally and nationally gaining valuable experience and instilling a deep rooted interest in agriculture. Lowry is serving as the newly elected president of the inaugural East Helena High School F.F.A. program and is working to help her FFA Chapter raise funds for that group to attend the National FFA Convention next fall.
