I want to thank everyone who took a minute to introduce themselves and say hello to me at the ABBA Membership Meeting and the International Show! I knew many of you but not all and you certainly made me feel quite welcome!
I did spend a couple of days early on walking the stalls to meet you but I know I missed some of you. I hope you had a chance to interact with the ABBA staff who were onsite for the entire week, Iridiana Ibarra, Office Manager, Caydi Blaha, Director of Communications & Youth Activities, Megan Mullins, Registration and Transfers, Teresa Dominguez, DNA Coordinator, and our Student Workers, Riki Nardiello and Callie Welty. They were the ones who put up the booth and maintained it and were creative in developing the raffle! Make sure you let them know they are valued employees!
New to our staff is A. J. Knowles, your new Director of Breed Improvement, who will be working closely with any ABBA performance program in addition to other duties. A.J. was in Houston with us and made a real hand. Any question I could not answer, I just turned over to him. Like all of our staff he is personable and people oriented. There is a press release on A.J. and his first column is in this month’s Brahman Journal. I hope you are as pleased and proud of your ABBA staff as I am, they are as we say back home “Buena gente!” (Good people!).
Another person I want to thank is Victoria Lambert of the Brahman Journal. Victoria worked tirelessly before the show to help the ABBA staff (and especially me) prepare for the printing and distribution of the show programs, livestreaming the ABBA Membership Meeting, International Field Day, and the International Show. Her efforts to promote the Brahman breed are immeasurable! I also want to thank the American Junior Brahman Association Directors and Royalty for assisting in the arena. They were very professional and certainly an asset to the conduct of the show and the safety of those in the ring.
Finally, I want to thank Karl Hengst and all the Livestock/Beef Cattle Committee at the Houston Livestock Show. I know there were a few issues, but by and large they got them sorted out and made sure we had a terrific show! They put up with our requests and halting the show to present awards but they realized the impact and history the Brahman breed has had on the Houston Livestock Show since its beginning and they certainly pulled out all the stops!
– Joe C. PaschalJoe
