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Treasurer
| Name: | Wesley Lyons |  |
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| Home Chapter: | Paris | ||||
| SAE: |
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My family has raised beef cattle for as long as I can remember. When I was in 3rd grade, my dad purchased our first registered Romagnola cows. This has evolved into my SAE of Beef Entrepreneurship. I started my herd with a heifer my dad gave to me as a Christmas present. Since then, my dad and I have expanded our herd through utilization of embryo transfer and artificial insemination. I currently own 12 head of registered Romagnola cows and 5 commercial females. I market my cattle on a specialty market for lean beef. |
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| Favorite CDE: | |||||
| I was involved in practically every contest that the Paris FFA chapter participated in at some point or another with the exception of Land Judging since I am color blind. Throughout that time, I developed an equal love for two very different contests, Dairy Judging and Parli Pro. I enjoy livestock judging and I raise beef cattle; however, I was never good at judging hogs. Dairy Judging gave me the unique opportunity to judge only cattle. Also, I served as chairman of the Paris FFA Parli Pro team for two years. We may not have known much about other contests, but we knew Robert! (Robert's Rules of Order) | |||||
| How You Got Involved In The FFA: | |||||
I was involved with 4-H throughout elementary school, and many of the contests were held in conjunction with the FFA. Also, my older sister joined FFA in high school and I thought the t-shirts were really cool. Near the beginning of my freshman year of high school, Mr. Jim Cloar, advisor for the Paris FFA, came to my dad's business and coaxed me into adding an agriculture class to my schedule. From that point on, I was hooked. |
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| Most Influential Role Model: | |||||
| I have two outstanding role models in my life. I consider my mom and my dad to be two huge success stories. My parents are divorced; however, they both came from nearly nothing and made something of their lives. My dad was born in Lawrenceburg, TN on a large family farm. He was the first one of his family to go to college and now owns a very successful veterinary clinic in Paris. His hard work and determination have made him the successful businessman he is. My mom was born in Counce, TN on a small family farm. She finished high school, but did not have the funding to go to college. She met my dad, and, after marriage, she decided to go to college. She is now a physical therapist assistant in Paris. Her drive to do better and passion for people have made her the role model she is today. | |||||
| Future Plans: | |||||
| I am currently a freshman at the University of Tennessee studying Animal Science/Pre-Vet. I hope to become a veterinarian specializing in genetics in beef cattle. | |||||
| Message to Greenhand members: | |||||
| NEVER give up! The FFA is full of exciting and unique challenges not offered anywhere else. Sometimes, a contest or a particular part of an SAE can be frustrating, and you may not always win. But, coming from experience, it is always worth gritting your teeth and trying again. | |||||
| If You Could Travel Anywhere In The World: | |||||
| If I had my choice of travel destinations, I would go to Italy. I really want to see the countryside and look at all the Romagnola cattle. | |||||
© 2009 Tennessee FFA Foundation
