Hamilton, a dedicated showman and role model

Aspyn Hamilton is the fifth generation on her family’s sheep and cattle operation nestled among the rolling, red foothills of the Big Horn Mountains in Hyattville. It is here, she fell in love with animals, agriculture and being an active member in her local 4-H club and FFA chapter. 

Today, Hamilton is a member of the Renegade 4-H Club, which she has been a part of for the past eight years, and is a first-year member of the Washakie County FFA Chapter.

Dedicated showman 

Hamilton shares showing is one of her favorite aspects of being involved in 4-H and FFA.

“I truly love being able to hang out and spend all of my time with my animals, so I really enjoy the showing aspect,” she says. “It has taught me the importance of responsibility and how much hard work it takes to keep animals healthy and in tip-top shape.” 

And, with a barn full of summer projects, there is no doubt Hamilton knows how much work it takes to be a competitive force in the show ring. 

This year, Hamilton will show horses, cattle and sheep, all of which take a lot of preparation before show day.

She spends hours in the barn with her cattle and sheep, working their hair and teaching them how to walk and set up, as well as with her horses at horsemanship and showmanship practices. 

After county fair, Hamilton will make her way to Douglas to compete at the Wyoming State Fair, and in the fall, she will show at the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) in Billings, Mont. through the NILE Merit Heifer Program, a prestigious honor she is not taking lightly. 

“I was accepted into the NILE Merit Heifer Program as one of the recipients this year, and I am super excited to show there,” she says. “I feel like it is a big accomplishment because I know people out there who have applied, but it is a very hard program to get into. I feel very lucky, and I am very proud of myself.”

She continues, “One of my goals this show season is to present my merit heifer and represent my donor at the NILE to the best of my ability.” 

Hamilton also hopes to continue her winning streak in showmanship, win the market show with her lambs and return home at the end of the show season with a belt buckle or two.

Respected role model

In addition to being a dedicated showman, Hamilton also works hard to be a respected role model for younger members in her community. 

“I really enjoy showing, but I also love helping the younger kids,” she states. “From experience, I know when you are younger, you really look up to the older members, so I try to be the best role model I can possibly be and help them with anything they need.”   

Closer to home, Hamilton takes on this leadership role by helping her younger brother. She notes another one of her goals this summer is to help him perform to the best of his ability and bring home a belt buckle as well. 

She is also involved in the local Livestock Committee Board, attends 4-H Council meetings and is looking forward to more leadership opportunities during her first year in FFA. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.