Shane and Tonya Meier are the friendly faces behind Battle of the Cattle. This week, you can find the Meier family working together to make the Steer Show Fiesta the talk of the barns. Their journey in creating a program they would be proud of was nothing short of extraordinary. “In 2009, we set out to create a highly-interactive, educational show experience that the entire family could enjoy! Creating an atmosphere that was kid-centered, organized and laid back was also highly important to us. We are proud that our shows offer fun games, incredibly cool awards & a multitude of educational sessions. The best way that we can assure the future of this industry is to pour into today’s youth! At BOC, like the motto on the backs of our t-shirts says, “We’re raising good cattle & GREAT kids!” We like to step out of the box of what is typically done at livestock shows and try new things to make them more innovative, exciting, and exhibitor friendly” The dedication to others is the driving factor in their pursuit of creating inspiring events for others. When asked their favorite part of BOC, their response was “ Hands down, our favorite part of BOC is the people who we have met along the way! For years we’ve stated, “At BOC, we’re family!”
With these values in mind, the future of the BOC events is in safe hands. We asked the Meiers what their future plans for BOC are. “At BOC, we continually evolve to adapt to the needs of the industry. When we see a need, we try to find a way to help. As our industry grows & changes, we hope BOC will continue to make a positive impact.” From the sidelines, these events may seem to run without flaw; however, every show presents its unique challenges. Shane answered our question of what challenges they have run into and how they have overcome them. His response was, “Every event seems to present a challenge of some sort. Whether it be struggles with ample electricity at venues, rising show costs, finding ideal locations for the events, having enough sponsorships to help cover show costs or providing useful content that’s helpful to a large audience, we have learned to adapt, be flexible, constantly problem solve & try to best meet the needs of our exhibitors.” After overcoming their challenges, the Meiers are greeted with many personal and professional accomplishments. In regards to their professional accomplishments relating to BOC, they gave us the response “Hosting the Patriot Junior Market Steer was the greatest challenge & the most rewarding accomplishment of the Battle of the Cattle organization! Ask any BOC Team member & they will agree! It was the Covid-era when shows were shutting down, Fort Worth canceled and Texas steer exhibitors were at a loss. BOC rolled their sleeves up & in a short three months, with the help of 25 courageous volunteers & some amazing sponsors, we coordinated a 1700-head market steer show & sale. It was nothing short of a miracle!”
The dedication of the family to provide an event worthy of going back to goes without saying. Their family is successful inside the ring and out. When not coordinating BOC events, the family enjoys working on their place as a family, or going on getaways together. Having so much success in the ring, we asked their advice to families wanting to get started in the cattle industry: “Do your research! It’s a wonderful learning program for kids, but it requires work & dedication. You’ll get out of it what you put into it. Seek the advice of reputable breeders or families who are willing to help teach you.” Shane, Tonya, Mills, and Mason Meier can be found in Dallas, TX, this week working the BOC Steer Show Fiesta and would love to see you there.
