Staff writer
Marion senior Calleigh Soyez has been showing sheep since she was 7 years old and is toward the end of her 10th year, with one last show season guaranteed.
“I’ve been to Hutchison, Kansas. I’ve been to Grand Island Nebraska. Louisville, Kentucky. You name it we’ve showed there,” Calleigh said.
Calleigh travels mainly with her family — her mom, grandpa, aunt, uncle and their kids. They show as a family.
“That’s where some of my greatest memories come from,” Soyez said. “I love showing alongside some of my best friends, Keitra Edwards and Ashley Peters, who have helped me tremendously with my confidence this year.”
Her sheep mean the world to her and she loves taking care of them.
Calleigh held her own this weekend at Kansas State Fair, finishing in the top 10 with ringside help from her mom and grandfather, bringing home second, seventh, eighth, and ninth place.
“Showing is probably my favorite hobby,” she said. “You build responsibility, social skills, along with the taut of failure. You’re taught its OK to fail because no matter what, you have to pick yourself up the next day and do it all over again. We don’t dwell on our mistakes, we only have time to fix them.”
Calleigh encourages as many parents as she can to engage their children in 4-H.