Let’s Talk Livestock with Scarlett James

Rudder FFA & Runtin’ and Gruntin’ 4-H

Committed to Sheep is Ava Allensworth passion. This month I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my good friends, Ava Allensworth, who shows sheep all over Texas and the midwest.

How did you get into showing sheep?

Growing up I was always surrounded by animals., My older brother started showing sheep when he was little and I always looked up to him. So I wanted to follow in his footsteps!

Who are your mentors?

My biggest mentors are my Dad and Tyler Jenkins.

How do you get ready to show?

There are a ton of factors that go into making sure I’m ready to show. Some being:

• making sure my animals are clipped,
• my showbox is packed with everything I need,
• the trailer is clean and has fresh shavings in it, and
• making sure I pack extra feed, hay, and drench and paste products.

What is your biggest goal of showing sheep?

My biggest goal in showing sheep is to win a Texas major livestock show.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A day in the life of me looks like… I normally wake up at 4 a.m. and finish homework till about 5, from 5-5:30 I’ll eat breakfast, at 5:30 I usually go and feed animals till about 6:30ish. From 6:30 to 7:45, I’ll get ready for school and finish anything I need to before school, and at 7:45 I leave for school. From 8:20 a.m. to 4 p.m. I am in school.

When school gets out, I usually have Tennis practice until 5:30 and then I come home and go straight to the barn. Then, around 6 p.m., I will feed sheep, start exercising, washing legs, and setting sheep. I usually end my day in the barn at around 9 p.m. but it varies on the day and what all I have going on after school! Once I get in from the barn I’ll eat dinner, shower, start homework, and try to get to bed at a reasonable hour, and do it all over again the next day! 🎠