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- [00:00]
Chad Walker
Foreign.
- [00:06]
Weston Hendricks
To season three of Empower your. And I'm Weston Hendricks, the owner and host, and this is my team.
- [00:11]
Augustus Sexton
Hey guys, I'm Augustus Sexton. I'm the co host and supervisor of the podcast.
- [00:17]
Quinn Hartley
And I'm Quinn Hartley, the social media manager as well as another co host of the platform. With that said, season three comes with change. Every Friday, a new episode is released with sneak peeks on our social medias out the day before.
- [00:32]
Augustus Sexton
Our goal is to be consistent, competitive and Christlike. We as a team strive for excellence in all that we do and want to gain knowledge from industry leaders and expand on trends of the industry and what they offer.
- [00:47]
Weston Hendricks
Our priority is to empower you as an individual in the livestock industry and to gain knowledge and confidence while consuming it from some of the most influential people in our industry. So, as always, enjoy the episode and here's to empowering you. Well, folks, this is going to be episode 8 of Empower you and this is one of probably going to be one of my favorite episodes, not only because it's something a little different. We don't get many people outside of the cattle industry on and so to have someone like Chad Walker on the podcast is very meaningful to us. To get some eyes not only off of a different species, but also someone who impacts the industry in itself. Mr. Chad Walker is known for being extremely good at getting sheep and goes to 12 o'clock, but not only that, breeding and raising them, as well as having a set of eyes that knows how to find good livestock. So with that said, Mr. Chad Walker, if you'd like to introduce yourself, let the listeners get to know you a little bit and then after that we'll kick off with questions for sure.
- [01:53]
Chad Walker
Thanks for having me, guys. I guess to start off with, I'm thankful that, that you even called and asked me. It's hard to look at it and I tell people that all the time that, you know, I don't think it's. I'm anybody any different than anybody else. And so it's, it's pretty neat for y'all to holler at me and to get me on here and hopefully I get you some knowledge and some wrapping you with some wisdom and stuff like that, you know. But yeah, so I'm from Eastland. I grew up in Eastland, went to high school there. Showed lambs, goats, pigs a couple years. Did okay. You know, growing up, my brother helped me, Mark Walker owns for you to win supplements. He taught me, I mean, he taught me a lot. He sold, you know, two or 300 head every year when I was a kid growing up. And so I get to set them all up and, and just go through the motions every, you know, every day when people came, they would, they would look. And so I kind of got a. Kind of a good start as far as just meeting people and talking to people. And my dad's a used car salesman, so obviously everybody knows how used car salesmen are. But anyways, growing up with that, you know, I got to see some things and got lucky at a couple of shows when I was showing and got a couple of banners, but for the most part, you know, just. Just kind of did more jackpot and stuff. Nothing, nothing too big kind of from that point on, you know, I guess had a reserve at state fair one year and reserve at Houston my senior year. And we'll kind of get into those details probably a little later, but for the most part, you know, just showed. I loved it. I loved every bit of it. Everybody that I, I met and that I talked to throughout the years, you know, I could call them up If I was driving to the other side of Texas or to the other side of the country even. I could. If I had a flat or if I had a, a problem, I could call them up and they could, you know, they'd help me out, help me out or give me a place to stay or whatever. And that's, you know, that's the thing that at the end of the day that goes. I go back to all the time, like the people that you meet and the things that you, you get to see and just the people in the industry for the most part, I mean, there's a couple bad eggs in there, but for the most part, the people in the industry are so good, just good people in general. And so that, that kind of, kind of always grabbed. Gravitated me towards, you know, being in the industry and, and just keep keeping it going and keeping, you know, keeping everything going as far as that goes. But they graduated high school there in Eastland. I graduated. I had a little incident with some, some lymphoma cancer. Nothing big, nothing bad, just a little bit. Just enough to say that, you know, the doctor to tell you, hey, you've got cancer. Had some surgeries and did a little radiation and they, you know, it wasn't bad like it, I mean, I lost a bunch of weight and I kind of made it through it all. But they, you know, it changes your perspective on life. And that's, that's probably the pivotal point in my life as far as just the way I look at life and the way I look at things that when a doctor tells you, hey, you have cancer, that the first couple weeks of that was. It was rough mentally. I mean, not. Not physically there, you know, at first, but mentally, it was. It was tough on you. And so, like, I had a lot of time to think about some things and get. Get through some things, but that. That was kind of the. The changing of it. Went to school at Tarleton to be a ag teacher, graduated there, got my master's in ag education, was planning on being a professor at a college was kind of my. My goal at that point. I was gonna go into teaching. Going to. And be able to teach and raise livestock. And that was kind of the goal at that point. And anyways, it kind of went from there into kind of went through the path and then started helping some families and then started helping some more families, and then started helping some more families and just kind of kept going and going, and here we are today.
- [06:35]
Weston Hendricks
So before we kick off anything, I did not know you had cancer. I've had several family members have cancer, and it's not fun. From what I've witnessed, recognized and seen. One thing that I think is extremely important for me to ask, just as a human being, is what is. Even though cancer is hard, it's makes life so much different than what it used to be. What can you say is the best thing that came out of it?
- [07:12]
Chad Walker
Life in general, honestly, I mean, just. Just the. The perspective on things like, hey, when I drop a. When I drop a drink, you know, when I drop a Dr. Pepper on the ground, which I do love my Dr. Peppers, but when I drop one on the ground and it spills, you know, I don't get mad about it, like, it. Whatever, you know, it's. It's there. There's so many things in life that you don't control. And, you know, so many people are. They get. They get tore up about it and they get worked up about it. And I guess after that, you know, more than anything that just things don't. Don't matter as much. And I mean, if you can't control it, there's no reason to get upset about it. And so it changed my. My outlook on life and my positivity on pretty much every situation. 100%.
- [08:02]
Weston Hendricks
Yes, sir. Don't take like for granted and control what you can control and leave the rest of him.
- [08:10]
Quinn Hartley
So obviously, Chad Walker livestock is renowned not only in the state of Texas, but it has expanded all across the nation. So I want to know what was it? What did it take from you to get your operation to the next level?
- [08:29]
Chad Walker
Yeah, that's a, that's good. I mean, honestly, just persistency, time, focus, drive, plenty. Endurance. No, but it just, I mean, you just gotta keep going and just keep, keep looking at it, keep working at it. And you know, there's, there's kind of goes back to that, I'm sure. I mean, there's a lot of life that I based off of having, you know, going through that cancer deal. And even if it wasn't bad, it was just kind of a different perspective on life. And you know, at, at that point right in there, you know, I kind of, you know, ag teacher, they don't make much, you know, dealing with livestock, and I raised some now, and we can talk about that later. But like, at that point, you know, I was just helping some families and I pretty much just got it in my head that I was not going to make much money in life. Like, I just kind of said, hey, here we go. We're gonna, we're gonna be okay and we're gonna do okay and we're not gonna worry about things. But at the same time as I'm going to do, I'm going to enjoy life. I'm not going to settle for anything in life. I'm going to enjoy it. And so, you know, that's, that's kind of probably what helped me the most out of anything is like, it wasn't ever the, necessarily the backup plan. It was always the plan. And so, you know, just, just the, the, the daily ins and outs of, you know, showing and being around it and things like that. It just, just drugged me in, I guess. It's addicting.
- [10:08]
Weston Hendricks
So aside from the cancer being a huge setback per se, what was a big challenge you had to face in taking that leap and taking that jump to, to create your operation?
- [10:23]
Chad Walker
Just. Tom. Honestly, because it wasn't an overnight deal. I mean, we start. I started helping a family while I was going through college, and then I started helping another family and, and we did, you know, we started with 750 lambs. You know, that family goes back to the Hargrove family. I don't know if you all ever remember them or not. They showed some lambs and a few goats back then. And, you know, they. That spend 750, you know, that was about the tops, you know, for two or three of them each. And, you know, and then they got, they got kind of, they making the sale and doing pretty good. And then they're like we might need to pump it up just a little bit, you know. And so they'd get to a thousand and then we got to 1500 on a couple of them and it just kind of worked its way up. And then there was a sale, that young gun sale, that big sell he used to have in Brownwood. Kind of like all the Texas people were there. There's a McLennan sheep there that I, I did love and I'm good friends with Logan still to this day. And I was like, I think we need that one. And you know, Eric was like the Hargrove, the, the dad. He was like, well if you think we got to have him, I mean we can go up to like maybe 2500, you know, and looking back at it, you're like golly, you know, 2500 sounds like nothing now. And but back then, you know, it was, it was plenty still. And we were sitting there bidding and he was, he was beside me there and I think we bought him for 2750. And so you know, that sheep did, did okay all year and you know, that was probably the first and he just got better and better and better and ended up reserve at Fort Worth that year. And that was, that was like my, that was my first win. And so you know, coming off of that, it just builds from there. I mean once you get your first win, once you get your first piece of it, it's, it's a straight up addiction, no doubt about it. And so like to answer the, to answer the question a little bit more directly is just, there's nothing, you know, directly other than just wanting it. I mean just wanting it and thinking you need it. And that's just what it, what it built up to. And I gave away thousands of hoodies. I mean if you go to any show I would, I would dare you to say that you're not going to see one of my hoodies somewhere. And it's in every barn. The cattle barn, the sheep barn, the goat barn. Probably not in the pig barn, a whole, whole lot, but there are a couple float around in there that's awesome.
- [13:14]
Quinn Hartley
Big House show cattle is located in Iola, Texas which is your premier stop for Charolais show heifers. Genetics and customer service promoting breed leading bulls like Brightside big game hunter and the national champion super puncher. Brayden and Nicole House have built a reputation for, for Charolais pedigrees that have the look and quality to win more than just their breed. BHSC is fully committed to the junior show Experience and strives to build and maintain the team atmosphere. Their added services entail a successful project both during and after a head for show career. Reach out to Braden at 979-676-1450 about scheduling a herd visit and joining the house party for yourself. Yeah, you, you can walk around any major show nowadays and I would almost guarantee that you will see a Chad Walker hoodie. But now we're going to take a quick dive into kind of the breeding part of the sheep and goat world. What's been the difference in selecting foundation donors over the years that you've been operating?
- [14:30]
Chad Walker
Yeah, so I've only had, I've had some use up there at McLennan's for, for a while, but for the most part I've only had ewes at my house for, oh, four years or so. That of. To, to much extent. And you know, and even in the last four years, I mean that changes every year kind of deal. But so it's hard for me to answer that as far, but as far as like the whole big picture of it, brood, like broody use, good cows, good sows. And they're all the same. I mean they all look the same, they all move the same. All stock needs to move good. And that's, that's one of my kind of my pet peeves all the way through it. But you know, we, we, we got lucky and raised the, the grand at Fort Worth last year with one. And I mean, is that a no tag you that I probably almost probably hold to the sale barn the year before kind of deal. I mean she just a, just a nice you. Nothing fancy. And so you get, you get to that point where, you know, they're consistently. And they, and they throw good stock. But you know, for people to, to tell you that, that it's their best cow or their best sour or you or, or dough or any of it, that those their best. Their best baby. Every time I'm gonna call them a liar. I mean, I'm straight up and say it. I've been, I've been to a lot of places that have a lot of good stock. And I promise you, you go to Brandon Horns, there'll be a calf out there that he's talking 30, 40 mile an hour about. And he's talking about it and he's talking about, he's like, oh yeah, that's her mom right there. And you're like no, you know, and you know, any, any. He knows the pedigree like 34 generations back. But, but like that's the same thing is, and it's the same thing with these used too. And you know, different climates, you know, use look so much different and does look so much different. And so it's hard to, you know, genetically. You know, I think if you can kind of line it up for the most part, I think that's, you know, get you ahead of ahead quicker than behind. You know, the AI deal now I, I think that it's messed up a lot of genetics as far as the overall lamb industry. The goat industry still pretty tight really. Like they, I mean they sell some, they sell some semen and stuff, but it's nothing like the cattle in the pig world and the sheep world now. But you know, the cattle world, there's, we can name five bulls, you know that most everybody's tried and you can do that in a land barn. But the consistency and the, just the genetic makeup it seems like all the way through just isn't as consistent in the offspring on the, the lambs and goats like it is on the cattle.
- [17:52]
Weston Hendricks
But so one question I got for you more so specifically on does and ewes, what are the trends and types of good productive using does? Some might say longer necks, taller shouldered, some might say longer spine, leveler hipped. But the reason I ask is because we have such a variety in terms of bucks and rams, whatever, especially in semen sales nowadays. So what do you think is the best fit today on buying A solid foundation?
- [18:29]
Chad Walker
Yeah. So the female side of it needs to be productive. In my opinion. They're going to be out there in the field, they're not going to get babysit. Near as good as like the buck side of it, the bull side or the, the, the buck side of it or the ram side of it. And so in my opinion, the females need to be broodier. They got, they're going to have to be a little bit bigger bodied, a little stouter featured all the way through. And that seems to be the, the best bet, especially in the goat, the goat world for sure. If you go in there with a goat that's got some production to it, you're going to be ahead of a lot of them just on just plain production. They can be straight legged still. They can be, I mean they can have some real bad, real bad structure problems and still do good if they're, if they've got enough muscle and they've got enough rib cage and top shape and stuff like that. And so it's, you know, the goat world, it's a little bit tricky on them. I mean the ones that, that we like, I mean the ones that I like tend to move a little sounder, move a little better, be a little more tricked out as far as their look goes. I mean, I like that kind better. But you know, if you just have just basic wide, stout go, you're going to get ahead of a lot of, a lot of goats that are, I mean there's just still a lot of goats out there that look like commercial goats, to be honest.
- [20:07]
Weston Hendricks
I'd agree.
- [20:08]
Quinn Hartley
What is something in the, in terms of breeding that you have witnessed that is going in the right direction and what is something that you've seen that is going for, say, in the wrong direction?
- [20:22]
Chad Walker
Yeah. So in the lamb world, you know, everybody's all like, I want a white legged one, I want a white headed one. Jesus, come on guys, let's get a little bit deeper in that. You know, I mean, I love feature. I'm all about it. I get it under, I understand all of it, but let's look at the rest of the animal. About four, three, four years ago, everybody is kind of like, oh, we want to, we want them, you know, lot featured all this stuff. Well, they used a bunch of tall, flat, narrow things that, I mean, typically the kind that I like, I mean, good looking, longer necked, I mean they kind of fit the bill but, but that they made them, they did not care about any of the rest of it. And so, you know, at, so at the same time as, you know, you get your good and your bad, but I mean, I think people just need to breed good stock. I mean, and I haven't been in it forever, but on, on my side of it, it would be a whole lot easier if they just breed good stock and not chase a trend one way or the other way. You know, a lot of the people that I look up to and talk to that have been in the industry all their lives, they, they talk about not, not being with the trend. They don't follow trends. They, they, they raise good livestock and they raise what they want to raise. You know, you're going to have good years and you're going to have bad years as far as financially when you're raising stuff like that. But at the end of the day, you're going to stay ahead of everybody else. But yes sir, in the goat world, you know, I think everybody kind of the same thing. I mean they, they chased, you know, showering appearance. I mean they shake, they chased hair. It was kind of like back in the day when they, they clipped catalog for the first time when they started, you know, doing that slick sheer deal, it's kind of the same deal. I mean, everybody kind of bred for hair and bred for hair, and I want to. I want to fit them up and make them look all sexy in the show ring kind of deal. And they forgot all the rest of the goat. And that's where. I mean, that's where it gets down to. There's a bunch of those goats out there that, like what I just said while ago, I mean, just commercial built. I mean, they're bad hips. I mean, it looks like a ski slope and stuff. I mean, but, hey, but they got big hair. That's all there is to it, right?
- [22:52]
Weston Hendricks
Do you think that judges have too much influence, especially when it comes to color hair? Look, do you think that influences per se breeders as well to breed a certain way, and then all of a sudden we have something totally different or polar opposite the next year, 100%.
- [23:12]
Chad Walker
And my filter's not real good, but I'm going to try to keep it pretty filtered for this. But honesty is key. Yeah, but hey, it's all about what the judge wants. And it. And that started forever ago. I mean, back when I was. Back when I showed, there was. It was all blue sheep, all handled hard, all looked good, you know, as far as that goes, lean handled hard. Clint Cummins comes in there and destroys the lamb world. I mean, and not in a bad way, but like, he comes in there and it's like everybody in the land world's like, oh, shoot, we got to have them. We got to have them happy. Like, it changed the whole industry within about five years, really. I mean, four or five years, they went from a bunch of hard body and it needed to be done like it. He changed it. But, like, they went from one extreme to the other extreme, and within a couple of years, and I think that we're, you know, I think we're still on the. Nowadays. I think we're on a. A good lawn in general. You know, I think that there's a lot of good breeders out there, and they're in there. A lot of people are trying and working at it, but, you know, for the. For the lamb side of it, I, you know, I guess to me, the color of the. The color of the carpet does not matter.
- [24:43]
Weston Hendricks
So how did you gain all of your knowledge in the sheep and goat industry? Who was someone that you learned from or admired or meant was a mentor? And then why is it important to ask questions and listen to those people specifically?
- [25:02]
Chad Walker
Yeah, there's a. There's a pretty good list of them. And that's where I think that. That's why I think that I have been successful, honestly. You know, I think that you can go get your information from one person and you. And you'll be good. I do, I do think that. But like, I. I mean, I. I've tried to diversify myself and I think that's the only way I could do as good as I have done in the last, you know, seven or eight years. It's. It's got. It's been. Has treated me real good. But Brandon Horn, like I said earlier, good friends with him, been to his house a bunch of times. Kirby Eves and the cattle side. Both, Both of them. I talked to. Talk to Kirby daily, Brandon weekly or so. Glenn Martin, you know, I talked to him a bunch. I mean, we're. We're pretty good friends. I mean we talk about all the things like he. He's probably infant influenced me the most as far as far as trying to win everything in the lamb and goat world just because he's done it with all of his kids, but with the cattle and with the pigs, you know, and so like, look, watching him as I was growing up, from the time I was young all the way through in Sierra and those other girls, I mean, it, like, it was impressive all the way through. I mean, it's. It's still neat. If you go back through there and you look at all the things that they have done and they have accomplished, I mean, a lot of people would love to do that with just one species and they've done it with all of them. And so like, you know, he. He's a. He's a really good person to talk to about that. If you can get a hold of him, which, I mean, he's busy as like everybody else is, but I mean, he's. He's a good, good hand on that. And that's probably who I'll. That's who. Probably who I've tried to be the most as Glenn as far as just in general, just. Just because I mean, he raises. He raises some sheep, the hair sheep and he raises some goats. He raises some cattle. And I kind of do all those same things. And so, you know, I've talked to him a lot about that and a lot about just people in general and things like that. And he's. He's helped. He's probably helped me the, the most as far as just, I guess giving me hope more than anything. He. He's pretty, pretty good Person like you, like you mentioned earlier, we probably started winning the most, you know, and these are, I mean, some of the biggest names that you know in the industry as far as, like, all the way through. And I try to, you know, you know, they'll tell you whatever. Ty Allen, I mean, he helped me a bunch when I was a kid, when I was showing and then, like, when I was first getting started, I mean, he would help me however he could. And then I. And then once I got older and better and doing better, I helped Sadie for a couple years with goats. And so it's pretty, it's pretty neat how that all goes around and you can kind of help everybody. But, you know, those, those, those guys, they've got so much information and like, just talking to them, I mean, and that's what I tell people all the time. I've had some. I've had some real good guys work for me. That Jake Richardson, he worked for me for a couple of years there, making it. Making a heck of a name for himself. He's doing good. I mean, I'd put him with fit and fit in a goat with anybody. That Nolan Keefer, he's been there. Colton Hoekstra is there now. Like, those guys, I tell them all the time, I'm like, hey, if you have a day off, go just, just go get in the pickup with Brandon Horn or Glenn or whoever. Go get, go get in the truck with them guys. They'll help. They will let you work for them for free, for a day, I promise. Almost. I mean, even if you're just opening gates, it doesn't matter. And just being there with them, listening to them, listening to them talk about stock, I mean, that's, that's the biggest deal. Like, don't be scared of Bobby Maddox. I mean, he's like, he looks big and scary, you know, but at the end of the day, like, just go up and talk to him. Like he's going to talk to you. Like, he's not. They're not bad people. They're all good people. And so I think that's my biggest advice for anybody younger that wants to do good, is just call them up and say, hey, you know, can I work for you for free for a day, a week, a month? I mean, however much time you got, however much you're willing to learn, you're. You're going to learn the whole time. I promise you that.
- [30:00]
Augustus Sexton
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- [30:28]
Weston Hendricks
And so, real quick, me. Me and my family being close with Glenn, we were. So we started buying goats from them, I guess when I was. I'd say 12 years old, somewhere in there. And I showed goats all the way up until senior year. And the first time I was introduced to Glenn at a show and we had a goat from him, we showed up, and there's this line, and I was like, this is the first time I've ever been a part of something like this. What I want to know, Chad, is the first time you ever were with Glenn at a show and you saw that happen. Was the line, is that something that kind of, like, ignited you? And also, like, what do you think? Like, I guess what I'm trying to ask is, do you think Glenn and maybe, I mean, even yourself. I mean, you have lines as well. I've seen it as shows. Do you think that influences people to hop on that train with you or Glenn or Kelsey Pfeiffer or Peyton Williams, for example, that I'll do it.
- [31:30]
Chad Walker
I think there's. I think there's some good, and I think there's some bad. I mean, there's some families that have told me, I'm not getting no damn line. I mean, and they say that, like, they just. Straight up, they're like, hey, you know, we want to be first, and we want to be the only option. And. And that's where, you know, that's where a lot of guys getting started, do their very best, is that there's families that. That want to win and they want to do good, but they don't want to wait in line. They don't want to wait for somebody else's advice, you know, for the most part. And so, yeah, I mean, there's good and bad to it, I think. Like, I try to keep it minimal as I can. Kind of where I learned it from was Todd back in the day was, you know, hey, there was. There was somebody running the drench gun, you know, helping people drench. There was somebody, you know, helping with feed. There was somebody helping with every. It was just a conveyor belt that. That works for everybody, you know, and everybody helped everybody. And it was a team and, you know, going to college to be an ag teacher, you know, that hit me pretty hard as far as like everybody helping everybody and just kind of making it all work. Everybody kind of sharing this and sharing that. And it just, it felt more like a family that way. And I think a lot of people from the outside don't look at it that way. I think they look at it, it hits them probably a little bit harder than that. Not, not as, you know, not as friendly as that for the per se. But so I don't, I don't think the line's good. I mean, I don't think the line helps anything. And I don't, you know, I think that what people, what people want to see is those backdrops that when they, when people get in a backdrop and smile, I think when they, when they win their class, they smile. When they make the sale, they smile. When they win their county, they smile. It's those things like that, I think that help, that help you, you know, do do more business in the next year. Honestly, I think the line probably the biggest deterrent more than anything. Honestly.
- [33:35]
Weston Hendricks
Also like I didn't want to reference as the line is a bad thing. I also just see as people take it in the wrong way more. So when I see a line, even if it's bad or good, it represents a family and breeders that care about those people.
- [33:54]
Chad Walker
Yeah, I agree. I mean I agree on the, the point of it. I just think that it comes across a little bit more, a little bit more aggressive than it should and I hate that it does that. But it seems like that's the, the most common response to it though.
- [34:11]
Quinn Hartley
If there's a black mat on the line or on the floor at Fort Worth, there will be a line there at some point in the day. You can trust that. So getting into a little bit of a day to day basis and show day management, how crucial is a high quality feed? How important is it to exercise a sheep and goat? And what are some of your personal protocols on a fat versus skinny one to get them 12 o'clock on show day?
- [34:43]
Chad Walker
Purina 15ft. I mean I'm not gonna throw out their name, but that's my, that's my feed. I mean that's what I love. You know, we fed everything and I think I, I tell people this. I used to tell people all the time like, hey, just get the, get whatever feedback that you can get fresh and we'll make it happen. The honest to God, I wish I was that good, but I'm not. I've tried, you know, I'VE tried some different feeds and you know, there's some families that said, hey, this is all we can get fresh, you know, consistently, all the time. I was like, you know, I tried everything and I tried this and I tried that and, and it didn't work. And so I wish I could say I was, I was Superman in that, in that regard, but I can't do it. I mean, treadmill and exercise and tracking, they all kind of do different things. I just posted a deal online the other day that somebody commented on a walker, a treadmill or a track dog. And I think they're all important. I think they all have their spot, the treadmill and the track dog for sure. The walker, you know, works, works on the little kids but, you know, works for the little kids and just helps them with manners and things like that or anything else. But I think that the exercise, you know, I start a lot earlier than I think a lot of people do as far as their daily exercising. But I think that, I mean, I like to slow grow stock just in general. A lot of people want to get them fat a lot, then lean them back up and then get them fat, exercise late, push them hard late. I like to try to keep it going all the way through. And so there's a point in there that I probably keep them too lean. Like I'm going to go ahead and admit it and fess up that I probably keep them too lean for the way the industry is currently. I'm a little bit old school, I guess, on touch and condition, but at the same time, you know, we're normally more elegant, looking better looking cleaner in the front end and all, you know, all that part of it. And so it's just a kind of top, the top and kind that I like. We don't feed a whole lot of supplements. I know a lot of people do. I think that feed supplements have their spot perfect per animal kind of deal. I don't want to tell you to say, hey, go feed, you know, a pound and a half of feed and, and a pound of this supplement or a quarter a scoop of this supplement, A scoop of this supplement, the scoop of this supplement. I'd rather you just feed, feed if you're going to do anything else. And, and that's where like I get to a lot of people on, you know, on drenching, you know, they're like, oh, well, so and so said to use this drench and this drench and mix a little bit of this up and mix a little gold dust in There and a little bit of foo foo juice and a little bit of, you know, this and this and this. And I'm like, hey, I promise you, if you just go in there with your normal feed and your water, you're going to do better than most of them. Like they're, you know, the electrolytes have their spec, their place and they can be tweaked on a little bit on, on certain animals, but you know, other animals you're going to mess up more than you're going to ever help. And so, you know, that gets to be a, a tough spot. We exercise at least every other day all year long and we do that so that we don't have to do anything at the end. We're not, we're not trying to puff them up with electrolytes or anything like that. Like we, we, we pretty much. I mean, if you kind of go into a bodybuilding competition, they're pull, they're pulling more moisture out of theirselves. They're trying to firm up and shape up and things like that. And so if you kind of look at the show, the, the show people world and the show animal world, it's two different worlds. Like in the, the animal world, like we're trying to push, everybody wants to push them and electrolyte them up and get them all fat, sassy and smooth and, and take out all their creases. Well, I still like creases and so maybe a little old school, but I'm still, still sticking with my guns on it.
- [39:14]
Weston Hendricks
One thing that I'd like to ask is there's a rumor that I've heard several times and it's like we need a treadmill before we feed. That way they eat better or we need a treadmill after we feed. That way they're tired and they drink more water and then they're fulfilled the next day. What do you prefer to do and how do you think it works best?
- [39:37]
Chad Walker
Yeah, I think that the, the biggest deal is that they're not winded when they eat. I think they can eat before, you know, a little ways before it. It's just like, I mean, it's just like a person, the way I look at it, like if you go eat a big meal, are you going to want to work out right after that? You're not going to want to work out it right after it. And so I look at it the same as a human as far as that goes. You know, they can have a little bit or they can have, you know, you can drench Them before, you know, as your, your pre workout or whatever, you know, kind of, that kind of deal. But at, for the most part, you know, an hour before or after you feed, it doesn't honestly matter to me either way on that.
- [40:25]
Weston Hendricks
Yes, sir.
- [40:27]
Quinn Hartley
So judging wise, what is one of your pet peeves while in the ring.
- [40:37]
Chad Walker
Gets a little tougher? You know, I don't, I don't, I don't like people beating on their animals like everybody, but that's not necessarily a pet peeve. The biggest deal is just, is not moving your animal good enough. And you know, that's kind of what I've learned from the, the people that we talked about earlier. I mean, as far as just movement in general, they've got to be able to walk around the ring and they've got to present themselves. And if you can't, I'm not saying that you can't win because I've seen some poor moving animals win before. But for the most part, if you can't move around the ring, you're not going to win, period. You might be able to get them set up for a second and they spin around or, you know, this or that or whatever, but at least teach your animal how to lead. I mean that's, that's the number one thing that probably bothers me more than anything else. And it's such a simple process and it seems like the whole world struggles with it, which, you know, leg wool, it takes up a lot of time. And hair on goats, it takes up a lot of time. And so, you know, honestly, I think our showman in the country and some of them are going to take offense to this, but I mean, they've gotten worse in general in a hole because they haven't had as much time setting up animals and walking animals and stuff like that because they're working leg hair and leg wool and that's probably what makes me so sour on it. But I think just, just your basic showmanship, your basic walking around the ring and presenting yourself as a winner, I think that's probably my biggest pet peeve.
- [42:21]
Weston Hendricks
So as I do most, I just look through the Facebook profile or whatever and guest wise, your bio says here to make winning fun again. What does the word fun mean to you and why is that a motto of yours?
- [42:43]
Chad Walker
Fun is happiness. And I love, I love every minute of what I do. And so, you know, I'm hard on kids and I, and I tell every kid that comes to my house, I say, hey, you're here, you're here because you want to win and we're going to, and I'm going to be hard on you, but you know, I mean I goof around a little bit throughout. Like that's what all those guys that have worked for me. I mean I'm kind of pretty hard most of the time, but you know, I still, still remind them that I'm human in there. But you've got to be, you've got to enjoy it, you've got to, you've got to have some fun with it. You know, I get, I get videos of people dancing around in the, in their barn and stuff all the time. I mean, you see them and stuff and you know that that's what's good and that's what's happening and that's what, you can't just be 100 hard ass the whole time. And so you, you gotta, you gotta calm it down from when it, when it matters.
- [43:43]
Quinn Hartley
So can you give us a favorite quote or Bible verse that you go by and why you go by it?
- [43:52]
Chad Walker
Yeah, there's a, there's a couple different deals, but the, the main one is to just trust the process and, and avoid distractions is kind of the, the main quote that I, that I stay with. And, and, and it's hard for some, it's hard for most people to do. You know, you, you gotta realize that there's a process in all of it and there's a, there's steps in all of it and there's a, it's a, it's not a roller coaster. I mean, sometimes it's a roller coaster ride, but I mean for the most part it's kind of a slow, a slow, steady going, uphill kind of dealing. So once you get to the top, it's, you know, it's pretty easy, but you just kind of gotta, gotta take your time and go through the motions and steps and I think that's what, you know, makes, makes it a lot, a lot easier. And then the. Avoid distractions. I mean that's my biggest, probably the best quote that I live by as far as, you know, the young guys coming into it and the young guys helping people is that, you know, I, if you look at my life and I didn't go into detail detail on, on all the, on all my life story, but you know, I, I had a lot of distractions in life in general. I mean I, I probably enjoyed life a little bit too, too aggressively back in my younger days and looking back at it, you know, I regret every minute of it not. And I don't I don't enjoy looking back at it. We still did good. Like, we still won some shows here and there, but the distractions, without the distractions, I mean, we went from winning a show or two a year to five or six a year, you know, kind of dealing or. Or winning, you know, the. The lamb and goat show at the same time. And so you mean, like, once. Once you just. You. You put all the other stuff aside and you quit trying to be like so and so and quit trying to be like so and so. And you just focus on what you're doing in life in general. You're gonna. You're gonna win more. Just plain and simple.
- [46:11]
Weston Hendricks
Ranch House Designs is America's rural marketing hub. They're a proud sponsor of EmpowerU's new and improved website. We couldn't be more grateful for their efforts in helping us build a brand, but with that said, they can do the same for you, creating and backing some of the biggest brands and websites in the industry. Trust the process and visit them at Ranch house designs dot com. So something that I thought of is, what's some advice that you can give to the younger generation in terms of a remedy for distractions and how can people stay grounded as of nowadays? What's some advice you can give to the listeners?
- [46:51]
Chad Walker
Yeah, and this is. And this is something that we were talking about him earlier, and he. And he kind of told me this. He said. He said, nobody will ever respect a drunk. And honestly, coming off of most younger people, I mean, just in general. And I was. I was there. I get it. Like, you get influenced to do a lot of. A lot of exciting fun. Like, that's what. That's what you define as fun, you know, going out and hanging out and, you know, not. Not focused on doing things. And. And there's a part of living and there's a part of winning, and. And if you're trying to make this your career and you're trying to make this into something that you want to do, you can't get distracted. And so that's the biggest thing is, is that you don't got to be like everybody else. If you. If you sit back and look at all the people in this industry that have done the most and have won the most and that are still doing it with hundreds of people every year. They're not people that you would call real fun from the outside. They are once you get to know them. I mean, they're pretty. They're pretty good. Like, I've laughed some of my hardest times around all Those guys that we mentioned earlier, honestly, they don't, you know, from the outside, they're pretty. Pretty dry and they're pretty standoffish as far as going up to them. But at the same time, I mean, they'll. They'll make you laugh as much as anybody else will. So try not to. Try not to be what you think you need to be and in. And be. Be more real about it.
- [48:41]
Weston Hendricks
I think that's something what a lot of people needed to hear as well, but also what I would like to ask. It's a. It's a question that we ask on every episode. Everyone's got a different perspective, and so it's why I love asking more. So, Chad, what empowers you as a person, caretaker, operator, or customer, to be better than who you were before?
- [49:08]
Chad Walker
Just honestly, just to be better every day? Like, that's what I mean. That's what I work for every day. My goals are to be better, to win more, to help more. You know, like I said earlier, I didn't win a whole lot when I was showing. I didn't. I didn't. We didn't have a lot of money. And I. And I try to. And I just try to help more people and. And do. And do good for. You know, I give away a bunch of stock every year to families that need them, and I try to, you know, I just try to help people. It all goes, you know, what goes around comes around. But like, it. I think for both sides of that, I mean, if you do something bad, it comes around on you. And then if you do good things, you know, good things coming. Yeah, I think that's, you know, that's probably something I've learned from those mentors as much as anything, is that if you. If you're just good people in general, then good things come.
- [50:11]
Weston Hendricks
Yes, sir.
- [50:12]
Quinn Hartley
So one thing that we do at the end of every episode is we end it with a verse. Today's verse is going to come from Matthew 5:15. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. What does that mean to you?
- [50:34]
Chad Walker
Yeah, I mean, just basically what we just talked about, pretty much 100%. So, yeah, I couldn't explain it any better there.
- [50:44]
Weston Hendricks
That. That was right on the money, too. It's crazy. That's awesome. Well, Chad, we do appreciate you coming on. You're someone that a lot of people do look up to. You're someone that's become extremely successful, and I think this made a great episode. I think a lot of people will be able to get to know you as a person and what you stand for. And for people out there that don't take winning lightly, I think this is someone that definitely needs to come into your path. Mr. Chad has had tremendous success throughout the years. He's got the brains behind all of it. He knows the people, and you're just someone that we've loved to have on. And we couldn't thank you enough for taking time out of your evening and doing this with us.
- [51:34]
Chad Walker
Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you for having me. And sorry our 8 o'clock went to midnight, but that's kind of what happens in the world, too.
- [51:42]
Weston Hendricks
Hey, it's all good things happen. We just got to roll with it and take the punches for store. All right. This will be empowering you with Mr. Chad Walker. We thank you all for tuning in. We'll see youall next time.
- [51:58]
Quinn Hartley
Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @empowerupod for episode sneak peeks and merchandise updates.
- [52:08]
Augustus Sexton
But also go take a look at our new website, empower upod.com where you'll find find our team's story, sponsor updates and much more. Once again, we just want to thank you all for tuning in. And please follow us on Spotify or Apple podcast and leave a five star rating. If you like what you hear, have a blessed day.