Personal Progression... Featuring Kyndal Reitzenstein

Summary

EmpowerU Podcast Episode Summary: "Personal Progression... Featuring Kyndal Reitzenstein"

Release Date: June 20, 2025

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Personal Progression," hosts Weston Hendrix and Luke Domingue engage in an insightful conversation with Kendall Reitzenstein, a prominent figure in the livestock industry. This episode delves into Kendall's extensive background, her journey through livestock judging, her coaching experiences, and her current role in the industry. Listeners gain valuable perspectives on personal growth, mentorship, and the evolving landscape of livestock judging.

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Guest Introduction and Early Background

Kendall Reitzenstein hails from Kersey, Colorado, where she grew up surrounded by livestock. Her family operates a cow herd of approximately 200 Angus and Simmental cattle. Kendall's father, Mark, is a veterinarian specializing in embryo transplants and cattle management, which profoundly influenced her early exposure to the livestock industry.

Education and Early Involvement:

• High School and Early Showings: Kendall began her journey by showing cattle, horses, and pigs through her family's involvement in livestock programs.
• Photography Passion: An avid visual person, Kendall taught herself photography, which not only nurtured her creative side but also funded her education. "I just love doing it and I do owe a lot to it because it helped pay my way through college" (04:00).

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Academic and Coaching Journey

Kendall pursued an Associate Degree in Animal Science at Redlands in El Reno, Oklahoma, followed by a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Animal Science and Agricultural Communications at Oklahoma State University (OSU).

Coaching at Oklahoma State University:

• Assistant Coach Tenure: She served as an assistant coach for OSU's livestock judging team for two and a half years, under the mentorship of Dr. Blake Bloomberg. "I learned a ton from the kids, I learned a normal amount from Blake and all things and especially coaching" (12:20).
• National Championships: During her time, the team secured back-to-back national championships, highlighting her effectiveness as a coach.

Transition to Colorado State University:

• After OSU, Kendall returned to Colorado to coach and coordinate the livestock judging program at Colorado State University (CSU) for three years. This role presented significant challenges initially, but with support from mentors like Brandon Callis and Dr. Blake Bloomberg, she successfully revitalized the program. "We ended on a very high note there at CSU" (12:20).

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Current Role and Industry Impact

Kendall now serves as the Executive Sales Representative at Saskatoon Colostrum, focusing on their flagship brand, Colostrux. This role leverages her deep knowledge of livestock genetics and industry trends to support and empower other industry professionals.

Career Transition Insights:

• After facing multiple job rejections post-CSU, Kendall trusted her instincts and network within the industry, leading her to Saskatoon Colostrum. "It's a testament to trusting your gut, trusting the plan" (20:36).

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Breaking Barriers as a Female Judge

As one of the few female judges in the livestock industry, Kendall discusses the challenges and triumphs of her journey.

Passion and Resilience:

• Kendall emphasizes that ability and hard work should determine opportunities, regardless of gender. "No matter what age you are, no matter what gender you are, if you're capable to judge and you work hard enough to get to that point, you should be given that opportunity" (22:14).

Judging High-Profile Shows:

• National Western Steer Show: Kendall achieved her dream of judging one of the most prestigious shows in the industry. "Being asked to do that was a dream come true" (25:54).
• State Fair of Texas: She shared her experiences and adaptations required when judging in different environments, highlighting the consistency and quality of livestock across regions.

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Mentorship and Coaching Philosophy

Kendall attributes much of her success to the mentors who guided her and emphasizes the importance of being a positive role model.

Advice for Future Mentors:

• Professionalism and Kindness: "Be professional in everything you do, no matter what that is... be a good human and just being nice to people" (45:22).
• Continuous Improvement: Encourage mentees to strive for excellence and never settle for mediocrity.

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Personal Empowerment and Motivations

Kendall shares the driving forces behind her continuous personal and professional growth.

Inspirational Philosophy:

• Commitment and Trust: She relies on personal faith, citing Proverbs 16:3, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans" (46:53).
• Making Others Happy: "What empowers me is just making people happy... being proud of people around you" (48:35).

Overcoming Adversity:

• Kendall recounts her pivotal moment when a severe ankle injury redirected her path from a potential Division I volleyball career back to livestock judging. This experience reinforced her belief in trusting the broader plan.

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Reflections on Industry Evolution

Kendall observes significant advancements in livestock genetics and the competitive nature of the industry, which continually push standards higher.

Genetic Progression:

• "The genetics are just progressing so much right now, which is awesome... it just keeps progressing and taking things to another level" (43:59).

Quality and Competition:

• She notes that each new generation introduces higher-quality livestock, fostering a dynamic and forward-moving industry.

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Favorite Species and Operations

While cattle remain Kendall's primary focus, she also appreciates judging pigs, leveraging her early experience in showing them.

Cattle Operations:

• Kendall and her family operate a small cow herd, primarily breeding heifers and managing show steers. Their goal is to support and elevate the next generation of livestock enthusiasts.

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Conclusion

Kendall Reitzenstein's journey in the livestock industry exemplifies dedication, resilience, and the importance of mentorship. Her experiences as a coach, judge, and executive demonstrate the multifaceted roles one can undertake within the industry. Through her story, listeners are inspired to pursue their passions, embrace continuous improvement, and foster supportive environments for future generations.

Closing Thoughts:

• Empowerment Through Community: Kendall emphasizes the strength found in community and collaboration. "We're a team altogether, working against one odds" (48:35).
• Continuous Learning: She advocates for never stopping in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence, both personally and professionally.

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Notable Quotes

• Photography and Self-Financing Education:
  "I just love doing it and I do owe a lot to it because it helped pay my way through college." (04:00)

• Trusting the Plan:
  "It's a testament to trusting your gut, trusting the plan." (20:36)

• Openness to Opportunities:
  "No matter what age you are, no matter what gender you are, if you're capable to judge and you work hard enough to get to that point, you should be given that opportunity." (22:14)

• Inspirational Philosophy:
  "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." (46:53)

• Empowerment Through Others:
  "What empowers me is just making people happy... being proud of people around you." (48:35)

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Final Remarks

Kendall's narrative is a testament to the power of perseverance, the significance of mentorship, and the impact of embracing one's passions. Her contributions to the livestock industry continue to inspire and empower individuals striving for excellence.

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For those interested in learning more about Kendall Reitzenstein's work or the EmpowerU podcast, stay tuned to future episodes and follow the podcast on its social media platforms.

Transcript

[Weston Hendricks]

Welcome to season four of Empower youw and I'm your host, Weston Hendricks. And I developed this platform alongside my team with the objective of aiding to your interests as an individual in the livestock industry. Our goal is to empower you while gaining insights and trust and consuming it from some of the most significant people in our industry. With that said, a new episode is released every Friday with a sneak peek available on social media platforms a day prior to. So as usual, thank you for tuning in and enjoy the episode. Here's to empowering you.

[Luke]

Well, folks, we are live. We're live and I couldn't be happier. Like we started season four and this has just been phenomenal so far. The people that we've been fortunate to record with and interview has been phenomenal and we've grown more and more and more. But now we have someone on. You've already seen the name, you've already seen the sneak peeks of who it is. Kendall, rise and sign. Someone that I've admired for the past year, two years, honestly, for what she does and how she evaluates and the achievements that she's been able to, to get after. And so for you to come on and do this with me and Luke means the world to me and I can't wait to see how this episode goes. Luke, I know you're excited as well. This is someone that you've talked about for quite a while as well. She's been on our guest list for quite some time now. It's, it's here and I can't wait to see how it goes. Kendall, if you would like to introduce yourself to the listeners and kind of give an introduction of yourself and then let's get started.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, absolutely. Weston and Luke, thank you both for having me on and what you guys do is awesome. I've enjoyed listening to you guys. So it's certainly an honor for you guys to ask me to do this. But again, my name is Kendall Reitzenstein. I am from Kersey, Colorado, grew up and currently live here. My parents, Mark and Kay and my brother Austin. We all run 100 miles an hour at different directions, but we still have a cow herd here. We have about 200 head of Angus and Simmental cattle. My dad's actually a veterinarian and so we do. He does embryo transplant and cattle and so we keep most of our donors here. We try to raise some seed stock cattle as well as some show cat heifers and steers both. A little bit about me, I grew up here, went to school at Platte Valley was very fortunate to grow up in the Weld county area and so grew up showing here, did the livestock judging program through Weld county as well. For college I went to Redlands in El Reno, Oklahoma for two years and got my animal science degree or associate degree and then moved on to Oklahoma State where I continued livestock judging there. And after completion of that I got my major in animal science and ag Communications. And then after I got my master's degree in animal science and was the assistant coach at OSU for two and a half years after that I came home and was presented the opportunity to be the livestock judging coach and coordinator at Colorado State University and did that for three years and coached two teams. After that I actually came home for a while and helped my dad in the clinic and did some part time jobs. And then just recently, actually last year into last year, I took a new job with Saskatoon Colostrum. So I am the executive sales representative here in the US Focusing on the main brand, our in house brand, Colostrux. And so that's a little bit about me briefly. But yeah, I look forward to this as well.

[Unknown]

Yeah. Yes ma' am. So growing up you, I'm sure you showed and did a bunch of that and also saw that you kind of got a little bit into the photography. So I was kind of know how you, how you deal with that and then what led you into judging off of that?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, absolutely. So very fortunate. Most my parents grew up showing and both sides of the family were very involved in livestock and so that was kind of instilled into Austin. And I grew up showing cattle primarily and I actually showed horses, which my family knows not very much about, but it was something that I was passionate about. And so I showed horses and then my brother showed pigs as well and I did pigs for two years. So we did a little bit of everything. But it's funny reading through some of these questions previous to this, you guys asked me about photography. No one's ever really, really dove into that section of my life and I, I don't know if I've ever actually admitted this to anyone, but growing up, you know, through the livestock judging program at Weld county and even through college, and to this day I can look at animals and look away. I can look at them for a few minutes and look away and see those animals still. And I think that's really helped me. I have kind of a photography mind. And so growing up I always had an interest in photography. It just, it captured my mind. I'm a very Visual person, no matter what we're talking about. And so I kind of self taught myself. I grabbed a camera, I got a camera I think for my birthday or for Christmas and just kind of taught myself, did some YouTube videos on what to do and just started taking pictures of cattle and of livestock. And so it was great. They didn't talk back to me. I couldn't really talk to them, they weren't hearing me. But I could sit out in a pasture with them and just take pictures. And so that's just kind of how my mind has always worked. And I was very fortunate. I got some opportunities through high school and actually through college of picturing the Weld County Fair. And that's how I paid for my master's program, was picturing those fairs and getting the money and paying off my college. And so photography today for me, I still have a camera that I invested in and I love taking pictures. There's so many great photographers out there that I will never be that good. But it's such a, it's a relief for me just to go out and take pictures. And I just love doing it and I do owe a lot to it because it helped pay my way through college. But yeah, I did that through, through high school and through college and livestock judging and yeah, it all kind of, it kind of all goes hand in hand. But I've never been asked that question. And so it's very, very interesting for you guys to ask that.

[Luke]

Yeah, well, honestly, like every, every bit of, I guess talent you acquire is what helps you for your future and your goals that you set. And, and so I figured that'd be something good to bring up. And so with that said, I'd like to ask judging now, how is it different from back then when you were in high school, going into the collegiate level?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, I would say it's for me personally and as an industry, I guess I'll cover kind of both. But for me personally, I, I didn't really have a choice of doing livestock judging in 4H. My parents told me I was doing it because I couldn't make my mind up when we went to order food at restaurants. And so I got put into the program and had a very hard time with confidence and making up my mind. And so that's kind of how it started and really progressed through. And so when I got thrown into situations, whether it be a judging contest or now judging shows, I feel like my confidence has gotten a lot better and I don't put maybe quite as much pressure on myself. I really, truly enjoy looking at livestock and just looking and describing them. And so it's changed a lot for me personally, just the growth of communication and confidence in myself and being able to make decisions. You know, as an industry, I feel like the judging world has changed too. I'm quite young and still have a lot to learn, but the intensity of it has definitely stepped up a notch. Just like a sports team or anything else we can relate it to. But the quality of the livestock, the kids, the families, you know, the money being put into it. I was just having this conversation with someone the other day. I mean, we. We used to buy animals or even raise animals for very cheap. And now you look at it today. I mean, everything progresses and moves forward. And so I feel like the judging world as a whole has done the same. You know, it takes kids, even myself included, and it challenges them. It challenges them to their highest degree. And I think it's great, the direction we're headed because it truly helps everyone for real world scenarios or jobs, you know, post judging. And so it's definitely on an upward slope and it becomes a challenge and it challenges all of us. But it's a great challenge to have because it prepares us all for future endeavors.

[Unknown]

Absolutely. And while we're on the judging topic, you'd mentioned earlier that you attended Redlands and Oklahoma State for collegiate judging. How did you. How did you land on those? Was there a specific preference? Is it. You toured a bunch of schools and that's the ones you feel like home?

[Luke]

How.

[Unknown]

How's that?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah. Yeah. So going to Redlands, I'm a homebody. I'm still very much a homebody for anyone that knows me. And so moving out of state was a big decision for me. I toured several schools for junior college and, you know, go as well as you guys probably know, it's a tough decision of where you want to go for the next two to four years. And so we actually, at the time when I was recruited at Redlands, Dr. Clay Elliott was the coach there, and he actually was at CSU for some time and knew my family and my relatives. And so it made sense to me to go there. And I, you know, he was great. I was there for about a year with him. And transitioning from freshman to sophomore year, we were kind of in a lull of who our next coach was going to be. And so we were very unsure going into July into August. He would coach us during sophomore year. And, you know, the good Lord up above blessed us with Brandon Callis. And so that was A great. A great thing for me. And he coached me through my sophomore year. Learned a lot from both of them. Callous still remains very. One of my very, very close friends and someone who I. Who has mentored me for years. And so I. That was. That was awesome. And the kids that I met there, I actually attended the school there with Emma Vicland, who's from Colorado, and we were great friends, Judge at Weld county together. And so we stuck through Redlands together and met some great teammates, and we actually ended up being the national champion team. The transition from Redlands onto a senior college was probably one of the tougher decisions I've had up to this point. I was very torn between Oklahoma State, who was very successful at the time and coached by Dr. Blake Bloomberg, and coming home to Colorado State, which was Shane Bedwell, one of our close family friends and still very close to him as well. That decision weighed on me very, very hard. And I. I don't recommend this to anyone, but I waited until about three weeks before school started to make my mind up. And so I ended up choosing Oklahoma State and stuck with my team, the majority of my teammates at Redlands, and moved on. And so that was a great fit for me. Dr. Bloomberg, he was awesome. He taught me so much. And like I said, I went on and was his assistant coach for two and a half years. And so, yeah, tough decision for sure, but it felt like home to me. The people were great, the coaching was great. But, yeah, I was. Especially that transition into senior college. I didn't know where I was going to live about two weeks before school, so definitely don't wait that long. But looking back, it was. It was a true blessing.

[Luke]

So, yes, ma' am, you touched on that. You were the assistant coach at OSU for two years. Is that what you said?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, two. Two and a half. Yeah.

[Luke]

Yep. Okay. So we'd found out when me and you had talked previous to us recording this episode, you'd coach their OSU as well as Colorado State. I'd like to know how you got to that point of wanting to help coach a team, as well as why those two places, what's it like and how did it impact you?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, of course. So after I finished my undergrads at Oklahoma State, I really didn't know what to do. I was waiting for something, just someone, something to tell me, Kendall, this is what. This is your path. This is what you're doing. And it weighed on me really hard. And I actually was presented with the opportunity of doing, getting my masters and Staying there OSU for two and a half years, I guess, and helping Blake coach the team. And so it seemed like a no brainer for me. I don't mind school and so doing that and getting another degree, an advanced degree, was great, but I really deep down was not ready to leave OSU and the judging program yet. I felt like I could, could add more to it and learn more as well. I learned so much from Blake in that timeframe of not only judging, but life and how to coach and all things. And so it kind of just was one of the, it was just an internal feeling that led me to stay there and it was awesome. I, I had so many kids that I coached and was on a team with that we're still great friends and just to see them progress and the things they're doing right now in the industry is just so amazing. And so we had back to back national champion teams there when I was the assistant coach and I learned a ton from the kids, I learned a normal amount from Blake and all things and especially coaching. And then after I finished at osu, I came home and there was an opportunity to coach at csu. And I'll be honest, I had a teaching role at CSU as well. And I wasn't quite sure about the teaching aspect, but I took a chance and everyone at CSU and really in the state of Colorado took a chance on me going into that program. And it was challenging. It was the most challenging year that I had mentally and just my lifestyle is getting things back going on at CSU with the judging program. And so that first year was rough and it was rocky and I relied very heavily on Callous and Bloomberg and people in the state just helping, you know, support us and support the team and to get the life back into that program. And we were very successful. We got a great recruiting class. And then that second year I learned to love the teaching part, but the judging program really was special, especially that second year. That was my first full recruitment class. And again, I can't thank everyone who helped me get through through those years because it was like any job, like any coaching position, it's always a challenge. But it was so rewarding just coaching and mentoring those kids. And you know, I like to tell them I hope they learned a lot from me, but I probably learned just as much from them. And so we ended on a very high note there at csu. And yeah, I love the coaching part. It's not for everyone. It's definitely a hard job, but it's so rewarding. And it's great to see kids grow not only in judging but also in life.

[Unknown]

What did you teach while you were there?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

I taught the basic eval class. So at osu, I actually helped Blake coach a livestock eval class. And then at csu, I helped teach a live and let's see, what was it called? It was called live and dead evaluation. Animal evaluation. We would coach kids on how to judge animals live. So we would take, you know, all the carcass measurements. It's pretty much like a meat animal eval competition in terms of a class. And so you would judge them on a Monday on foot. And actually at csu, it was a great program. We actually had a kill floor or harvest floor there on campus in the school. And so we would harvest them on Wednesday and then on Friday we would kind of go over, you know, all of their predictions, carcass wise. And then we would, you know, see the carcasses come out, do a little bit of meat evaluation. So it was a really neat class.

[Weston Hendricks]

All right, guys, we're going to take.

[Luke]

Just a minute to recognize the businesses and operations that have powered this episode.

[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Luke]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Luke]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

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[Luke]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Luke]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

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[Luke]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

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[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

Yeah, that sounds beneficial.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Unknown]

How'd you go to how'd you go from there to your job? Now? How how'd that go on.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Another big, big moment in my life. I actually after csu I took about, I would, I want to say about a year and a half off I. I shouldn't say off. I was constantly searching for a job after I finished at CSU, applied for more than 10 jobs and got rejected on all of them. I'm not quite sure that everyone understands what, what a judging coach is, which is totally okay. But you got to trust the plan, trust what's going on. And that's what I kept doing. And luckily we were very busy around here and we started our first show cattle sale during that year and so very busy. But I knew I. More I knew I needed to do something in the industry and so several friends recommended me to Jeff Langmire who actually is very involved in the livestock industry. Newest kids growing up, they're about my age showing and he works for SCCL Saskatoon Claustrom. And so we, we kind of talked and met up and the stars aligned after that whole time of trying to get a job. And it led me to this position I am in now. And it's actually a product that we've used for several years. And so it's just, it's a testament to trusting your gut, trusting the plan. There, there's always a plan. You might have to wait a little bit longer. But yeah, it's. Everything revolves around livestock people and livestock industry for me.

[Luke]

So that's awesome. That's one thing I love about the industry is that regardless if you don't know them or do know them, once you meet, it works out. And the fact that we can all work together at times is truly amazing.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah.

[Luke]

One thing that I would like to ask you. Well, not ask you. You're kind of an anomaly in our industry and I know I'm. I'm probably being a little just. I don't know. You are an anomaly. You're someone that I look up to. You're someone that a lot of people do look up to. What I'd like to say is not many females judge currently nor do they have the opportunity to do shows like you have had the opportunity to do. So with that said, you've judged various species all over the country. What has driven your passion to sort stock at that level and how did you handle those situations under pressure?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate your comments. It's really crazy to me that I'm in the position I am in now because looking back, you know, it just. It doesn't seem real to me and I'm very blessed and been given some amazing guidance and just opportunities that I will never be able to thank people enough for being a female within the industry. I'll be preface by saying I, I firmly believe that no matter what age you are, no matter what gender you are, if you're capable to judge and you work hard enough to get to that point, you should be given that opportunity. I love. I just. If you work hard enough, you should be able to accomplish anything you want to do. And that's always been kind of my motto. And so, you know, growing up through college at osu, I always tell this story, but people ask, you know, how'd you get to where you are today? And I just laugh because not too long ago I was judging little county fairs in Oklahoma that I couldn't even get cell service to get to where I needed to go. Like, that's how middle of the nowhere we're talking. And so that's how I started. That's. I started judging those little shows and moved up and just kept progressing. And like I said, I've had so many great mentors that have been behind me and had my back through all this, and I know that I wouldn't be in this position without them. But, yeah, I just, I guess going through it all, I, the longer I've been in it, I've always enjoyed evaluating livestock. I've never been the most outspoken or the most confident in anything, but the one thing I am confident in is just standing in front of livestock and just talking about them. And so I truly love it. That's how I grew up. Even as a little girl, going in the pasture and just looking at animals. And so it doesn't, you know, the, the pressure I throw. Thrive off of pressure and so going, you know, through and up in some of these shows, I guess the pressure, I just love it. Bring it on, you know, Bring it on. And so the higher quality shows and the big shows that, you know, you come in and there's 15 head and you're just like, wow, every single one of these are good. That's when I have the most fun, is just appreciating good livestock regardless of the species. And so, you know, I, I don't know, It's. It's been a really fun process for me. It's. It's been very challenging just getting through it all and, and remaining calm and collected and. But it's, man, it's been so fun and I'm very blessed to be given some of the opportunities I've, I've been given.

[Unknown]

For sure, that's great. And I know not, not too long ago that you were judging on the National Western Steer panel, so that's pretty, pretty insane in my Opinion and being the first female judge on it and make it sound like you love to chase the next high and the show rings and everything. And being in the competitive nature.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

How.

[Unknown]

How was that?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Oh, it was. It was a dream come true for me. You know, being here from Colorado, I'll remember exactly where I was standing when they called to ask me to judge that. It was always a dream of mine as a little girl is one day I want to either win the National Western Steer show or judge it. And so I accomplished one of those. But very, very thankful. I never in a million years thought that I would be able to be given that opportunity, to be quite honest with you. And as soon as I got that call, I got off and not an emotional person at all, and I just started crying because I was like, man, I. This is. This is what I wanted to do. This is. This is it for me. And so being asked to do that was. It meant the world. And I don't get. I don't get too nervous. There's two times I remember I was pretty nervous before judging a show, and one of them was Denver this year. And it was a good nervous. It was an anxious and, you know, let's, let's roll kind of nerves. And so it was quite. Quite the feeling, and one I will never, ever forget.

[Unknown]

Huh.

[Luke]

That's. That's awesome. What was it like judging with the other two? I know Glenn is kind of quiet. I don't know. I mean, that's outside the ring. I don't know what he's like judging with him. But I've. I've grown up with Glenn and bought my first competitive show goats from him at the age of 12 or 13, one of the two, and have known him for a long time. So what was that like?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, Murphy and Glenn were. They were both great. I knew we would get along really good. I. I know Glenn quite well. It's. It's actually funny. I. I don't even know if he remembers this, but when I was coaching at csu, he's always been an idol, right. An industry idol, everyone knows. And if you don't, you might need to get to know him. But when I was coaching at csu, my team. Team actually won Houston, which, if you go to. If you go down to Texas, you know, an outsider, it's not like you're gonna win easy. Right? And so it was a. It was a huge thing for us. And I'll never forget this. He sent me a text, and he was just like, man, I'm so Proud of you. And I was like, man, I made it. I made it. Glenn Martin. Text. Yeah, text me. Congrats. And so I will never forget that moment, but he's someone I've always looked up to, and it was. It was a great day for us three after we turned in our cards. You know, it's hard. I tend to talk to myself quite often, judging, and so it was really hard to keep your mouth shut during all of it. But when we turned in cards and we would all three kind of meet up, he would joke around, and I can almost look at Glenn and he can look at me, and we know each other are thinking. And so it was. It was a great day. It was fun. And after we kind of got got into that first class, the nerves kind of settled, I think. And it was a. It was a really fun day. And just to be in the ring with two knowledgeable people and industry people like they are, it was. It was a true honor.

[Luke]

That's awesome.

[Unknown]

That sounds like a blast. Do you have any, like, favorite memories from being there or favorite class, favorite calf that kind of stuck out a little different?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah. I mean, the champion reserve came out of the same class, and so I'll forever remember that class. I. I've watched the steer show stands since I can remember, like, maybe when I was started walking, and so I maybe missed a year or two. But I would say from an outsider's perspective to being in the ring, I would say this. This past year's tear show, I wouldn't say there's one class that sticks out to me. There were some really tough decisions. I had to talk a class where the top four were all jumbled up because they were just so good, and it really. You just had to describe them correctly. But I would say, as a whole, the steer show this year was really deep. There was quality in every single class. One, two, three, four, even five or six deep in there. And so I would say, really, all of it. I mean, I was challenged in every single class. I would say all three of us were. So that made it really fun. Just the quality that people kept bringing to us. And then, of course, the champion reserve steer, that was a tough decision, and they both came out of that same class. And so I'll remember that pair for a long time.

[Luke]

That's awesome. So not only did you judge the historic Denver show or help judge with it, you did the State Fair of Texas. Unfortunately, I was not able to watch that show, but I watched the Pulse. I'm one of those people when I know a show's going on. I'm on my phone 247 waiting for the next pulse post. But what was your experience at the State Fair of Texas? Walking into it, what were you expecting? And then after the show, how do you think it went and what was a favorite calf from there or memory or something that you just remember very, very well?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, yeah, I judged the, the steer show there. I can't remember maybe three or four years ago. Three years ago, I think. I'll be honest. That was, it was nerve wracking at first. Of course I was going to do it, and of course I was very excited. But judging a slick steer show for a Colorado girl is quite the change in scenery. Right. And so we don't have very many slick steers here. But I was ready. I was really excited for it. I leaned on some guidance from my good friend Brandon Callis. He grew up there. And just walking through the process of each class, I know that sometimes those Texas majors, you maybe have a sift or you don't talk all 10 or just little things like that were playing through my mind. So I wanted to make sure I could, I could run the show as smoothly as possible. But going into it, I had the privilege to judge the heifer shows there, I believe, two years in a row. And so I kind of knew the setting of it, the ring setting. But the steer show, I would say out of any show I've ever judged, I was the most challenged in that show. Um, not because the quality wasn't there. It just, it, it didn't maybe piece together quite as well as what I thought. And again, not taking away from the quality, there were so many good quality cattle, but they all look different. Right. And so it was hard to kind of piece it together. But I ended up, you know, very, very happy with, with the cattle and everything that was presented that, that stood out to me. It was so much fun. And every class, much like Denver, had quality in it and some tough, tough decisions. But I would say as a whole, it was, it was a long day. That surface gets really hard on the judge and on the cattle. But it was a really fun show. And definitely my, my bind after that show is just, was gone because it took every ounce of mental capacity I had just to kind of sort through it and appreciate the quality and all the work the kids have done. So it was very fun experience for me.

[Unknown]

Huh.

Now, if I'm correct, you're going to be a co judge for San Antonio this, this following year, correct?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

I am, yeah. I'm the associate judge for Blake.

[Unknown]

I'm sure that'll be pretty fantastic. Another awesome experience. What are you anticipating? What are you looking forward to for that one?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, I'm very excited. I think more than anything, we'll have fun doing it together. We spent several hours in a judging band together, and we, I guess, two and a half years of coaching, and so we'll have fun doing it. I think first and foremost, we. We won't have too many arguments, I hope, but I anticipate it to be very good. San Antonio is. Is kind of the mecca there in Texas, and it's. It's always good. And so I just. I'm very excited for it. And, yeah, I look forward to February.

[Luke]

Yes, ma' am. One thing I'd like to ask, and this was requested. And so with you being an outsider looking in, there have been complaints about the turf. Is that something that you think affects the cattle as a whole coming onto the turf? Maybe cattle have never seen turf or affects their soundness at all or makes their nerves jumpy. What. What's your thoughts on that?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

You know, I've never really thought of that before. I could certainly see how cattle could get spooked, but I think of it this way. They can also get spooked by dirt or shavings or a blowing flag or anything like that. And so, yeah, the turf is definitely going to be different for some, and I don't think that'll hinder our decision. You know, if a calf blows up or gets a little spooked walking in, there's still a lot left of the show to go on. And so certainly something to consider as far as, you know, soundness or structure goes. I would say cattle that are sound are. Are sound, period. You know, that you can't manipulate that very, very much at all. And so if they're sound, they'll be fine. You know, at first, again, like any animal, if they're. They're going on a weird surface or something different, it might take them a minute to kind of settle in. But hopefully, you know, as the class goes on, they settle in and they start walking normal or. And yeah, I don't think that them maybe blowing up or getting a little weird at first will hinder our decisions.

[Luke]

Awesome. One thing I'd like to just point out and say is that's something that I do. 1. At first I was kind of like, eh, I don't like it because it exposes. But then as a judger in college, I learned to appreciate it because, say, There's a calf on shavings or deep dirt, and you can't see that they roll it outside their ankle or hoof or anything like that. That something at San Antonio exposes. And so that's something that I came to appreciate in. And so, even with that said, I think it'll be a great show. I can't wait to watch y' all. I can't wait to experience that. I'm. I'm hoping that I will be able to be there and watch the show, but I'm not sure. But I am very grateful and can't wait to see how y' all do.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, yeah. No, it'll be really exciting. And, you know, just like every show, you got to prepare for the surroundings, right? There's the surface, you know, the announcer stand, anything like that. And so, yeah, I. I've judged at San Antonio once, and the turf is definitely a different factor that plays into it. But like you said, I think you got to take it for every show and prepare accordingly. So, yeah, I. Again, I'm looking forward to it as well.

[Unknown]

So now that you've judged plenty and countless of shows and have went through the whole collegiate judging program and everything like that, is there a difference do you find on, like, how you evaluate and sort livestock or talking reasons in a room versus in a ring? Kind of. Is. Is there a difference in similarities?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, I would say there's. There's similarities and there's differences. You know, in livestock judging, I was very fortunate to come from a production background, and so that was my mindset in lifestyle judging. And. And so sometimes, you know, you gotta place four animals, and sometimes you gotta just place them on. On what you're given that day. And so from that aspect, it might change a little bit from judging a show to being in a contest. As far as reasons go, lifestyle judging reasons are maybe a little bit more. They're obviously rehearsed, and you get some time to think about it and kind of put your words together. But everything that you do in lifestyle judging, I think, prepares you to judge a show. Everything is on a whim judging a show, and you got to be very professional in your words and how you place things together. But I would say, as a whole, you know, the things that you learn going through your collegiate career and from your coaches, you definitely put into play judging a show. Now, there's some other things that you got to keep. Keep in mind, like a production aspect or, you know, carcass fundamentals, some of those basic things in judging a show or what really what you place your priority on more. If you have a really tough trio or a pair, what are you willing to give up? What is your personal preference? That's where you can make it really personal and say, hey, I'm willing to give up a little bit of muscle for structure, or I'm willing to give up a little structure for more muscle. So that's where you got to be confident in yourself, and judging kind of helps you, you know, be confident in yourself and make those kind of decisions. But I would say from on a. On a microphone standpoint, you know, those speaking skills and presentation skills and how you hold yourself in front of people definitely helps you judge a show, but it. You don't get to write anything out. You know, you got to do it just talking the animals and being very accurate and professional at the same time.

[Luke]

Absolutely. So with that said, what I'd like to ask is transitioning from that and learning how to personalize talking livestock as a whole. I'd want to know, do you have a favorite species? Obviously, I would think outsider looking into be cattle. But have you been grown to like or appreciate another species more than you'd expect?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, my favorite species or species of choice is definitely cattle, and the most comfortable with it. I've got the privilege to judge some pig shows, and I enjoy them. I. I certainly do. It's something different for me. We, like I said, we showed pigs, and so it was. It was nice for me to do those and kind of understand, you know, what it takes to get to that point and appreciate what those kids have done. So I. I do enjoy the pigs. The cattle definitely comes more natural to me. As far as sheep and goats go. Me personally, I've always said if you don't raise them or you didn't show them, you probably shouldn't judge them. And so I stay away from those two species. I'm not skilled or qualified to do them. So I. Cattle and pigs are my main focuses.

[Luke]

Yes, ma' am. So now what I'd like to ask you is. This wasn't in our questions, but it's something that I. I feel like we should talk about is Yalls cattle operation. Y' all obviously sell competitive show heifers, and maybe there's more to it. I haven't completely looked at it, but I'd like to know what is y' all do, What's Yalls goals and how y' all use and. And operate your. Your cattle.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah. So we're a family. Family operation, us four. And like I said, we all have jobs and so we're all running around like crazy. But we do have a small cowherd here that we, my dad flushes and we put in. And you know, we mainly focus on breeding heifers. That's my true love. But Austin really likes the market side and the show steer side. And so we've, we've really combined both of them and, and we're not huge by any means, but I guess, you know, looking back and reflecting to our past show careers, there's a lot of people who helped us, you know, fit them and find them and get them ready. And so we try to do that for people around here. And really everything we do is to help the kids. And so we are not huge, but we truly like, you know, reaching out and helping and really investing into our genetics as well. And so again, we, you know, our goals is just to help people and to, you know, have them experience the same thing we did growing up, which we're very fortunate for, but also to raise the best, the best quality we can, both on the heifer side and the steers. So it's something we truly enjoy doing together and something we hopefully will do for years to come. But yeah, it's something we enjoy to do and just help others and help kids.

[Weston Hendricks]

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[Unknown]

Have you noticed a trend or a change in, in the cattle, like since you showed till now? Showing?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, like, like always. There's always change. There's a lot of change. It just in terms of style and body and muscle and you know, you never think, oh, there won't be a better one than that heifer. There won't be a better one than that steer. And then it seems like, you know, a couple years or three years pass and they're like, oh my gosh, how are they making these things this stout or this big boned or you know, this pretty from the side? I mean everything. The genetics are just progressing so much right now, which is awesome. You know, it, it's a competitive nature. It pushes everyone to be better. And so just when you think you see the best one ever, it just, we just keep progressing and taking things to another level. And so yeah, it's. I mean I see pictures of me showing when I was 8, 10 years old, I'm like, man, nothing, nothing was awful. But it was good back then. But now, now just things have changed so much for. For the better.

[Luke]

Yes ma' am. So earlier in the episode you had tacked on how Blake, Bloomberg and Brandon have been some people that you that have mentored you. What I want to ask you is now that you are someone that a lot of people look up to or aspire to be or find confidence in, how do you think we as people can be a better mentor for this upcoming generation?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, good question. When I was growing Up. I always had people that I watched, whether they know it or not. And anyone I tell, I help some kids around here with showing cattle or whatever it might be. And I always tell them, you know, be careful of what you do every day or what you're doing or how you go about yourself, because there are little kids around here watching every move you make, whether you realize it or not. And so I had people that I looked up to growing up and then going through college. I had Callous and Blake who were great coaches for me, but also mentors. And so my biggest piece of advice is just, you know, be professional in everything you do, no matter what that is, because you don't know who's watching or who's looking up to you or, you know, and at times it can be challenging. You know, you do with things and you go on and you just keep moving. You just keep moving forward. And so you gotta just be professional and be very confident and be nice to people. I guess there's a lot of things in life that costs. Cost money right now, but the only thing that doesn't cost anything is being a good human and just being nice to people. And so I always try to be nice and would certainly tell that to anyone is just be a good, good human, good person. Be professional in what you do.

[Unknown]

Oh, that's great. Do you have a favorite quote or Bible verse as we kind of start to wrap up, that kind of helps keep you centered and keep. Keep you in a positive mindset.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Yeah, yeah. I. I mean, I have lots of things I tell myself on the daily, but one. One Bible verse that I got to thinking about when you guys sent me these questions was Proverbs 16, 3 is, commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. And this. This really hits for me is because I've, you know, I've been so many things in life where I. I don't know what path to take down. At one point, I actually, a lot of people don't know this, but I. In high school, I quit lifestyle judging and quit showing to do volleyball. I was. I almost signed D1. I had some D1 offers and played volleyball year round, and that's where I was headed. And one day at practice, I tore every single ligament in my ankle. And so I was totally done and I had no idea what I was doing. And thankfully, I got back in the judging program in Weld county and kind of the rest is history. But I've been hit so many times in life where you're just like, man, what. What is going on? Why is this going on? Why is life so hard? But you got to remember there's a. A plan, there's a path. You just got to believe in. In the bigger thing in life. So that. That Bible verse really hits home to me. And no matter how. How hard things get in life or how lost you are, you always got people behind you, and there's always a bigger plan.

[Luke]

That's awesome. I think a lot of people who go through hard times can resonate with that in many ways. So I'm gonna.

[Weston Hendricks]

I kept the question.

[Luke]

This is something I started since season one. What I enjoy most about it is the perspectives. I get it from everyone and the differences. Kendall, I'd like to ask you, what empowers you to be better than who you were before?

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

I would say keep. You got to keep in mind the industry and the people around you, and just. It all relates back. I've always been kind of the person. I know I'm making this about myself, but I've always been the person to think about everyone else before myself. And so kind of what empowers me is just making people happy. That's something I just love to do. And be proud of people around you and also make yourself proud and do things that make yourself happy and so things that empower me to keep moving. It's just the. I'm pretty hard on myself. I'm not gonna lie in all things. And you can always do better when you think you do something. Okay. And really, I instilled this, and a lot of the kids I was around and coached is just when you think you can settle for something, keep moving forward, there's always more you can do. There's. You can be better, you can do better, and you can work harder. And so, you know, hard work always pays off. That's another one of my famous quotes that I. That I repeat very often. But just we're very, very blessed to be in this industry we're in. And as big as it might seem to all of us, it's actually pretty small compared to the big spectrum of things. And so, you know, as competitive as it gets, we gotta keep a big mindset in it, and we are a team altogether, working against one. Odd. And so staying together and keep empowering each other, keep progressing together and being happy and making yourself happy, most importantly, I think just keeps me moving personally and keeps everything moving, so.

[Luke]

Yes, ma' am. Well, I appreciate you coming on with us and taking time out of your day. It means a lot and I appreciate it. One thing I'd like to say is.

[Weston Hendricks]

This.

[Luke]

This is awesome. The growth that we've had and the ability for me to be able to contact people like you now and grow this and allow people to hear your story and your mindset is something that I've always strived to do. So with that said, I appreciate everything you've done and keep going. And I can't wait to watch the future. And with all this said, this is going to be empowering you with Kendall Reisenstein. And thank you for tuning in.

[Kendall Reitzenstein]

Thank you, guys.

[Luke]

Yes, ma' am.

[Unknown]

Thank you.