I put up a post on the Bucking Stock Talk Group Page on Facebook awhile back asking what people considered to be their favorite part of the bucking stock industry. The friendship and camaraderie of the business by far outweighed the rest of the answers.
It’s not surprising that in a business run on more passion than profit there would be an emphasis on the human part. Stop and think about how we got into the business of bucking stock. Most of us will find that it was some kind of personal interaction that triggered the impulse to join in the “fun.” It’s a tough, financially demanding, unpredictable enterprise. There needs to be the feeling that there’s going to be a piece of the business that buffers the “downs” and celebrates the “ups.”
That piece, at least in part, is camaraderie. For a newcomer, even just getting into the business can be overwhelming. If you didn’t grow up in agriculture, understanding the basics can be a challenge. Farming and ranching don’t come naturally. Things go wrong. Something always does. That’s when a friendly word of advice or sharing knowledge from experience can go a long way to help ease the frustration and disappointment. There’s nothing like harsh criticism or an abrupt analysis of failure to discourage even a die-hard into quitting.
To keep the industry healthy and growing, it is important to remember that newbies are the heart and soul of the business. Success from the bottom up doesn’t come easily and it has a high factor of failure and lack of know-how. Many in the business are willing to offer advice and share the knowledge they’ve learned. The newbies need to just find a connection and ask when they need help. (There are a number of groups that offer excellent opportunities for exchange of information to take place.) Just remember that not everyone knows how to ask the question in industry terms. And often their knowledge base has limits in its ability to fully comprehend what is being explained. The person you took the time to help build a program just might become the guy who just bought the breed bull you had for sale.
Friendships can grow from offering a helping hand. There are also partnerships and business dealings that come from the initial contact. It can be a win – win situation. And it keeps the business healthy.
Author: Terry Lidral
Terry Lidral is a western writer/journalist who lives in Idaho. She is the publisher and editor of the online magazine Bucking Stock Talk and the online magazine Western Living Journal. Her publishing credits include Storyteller for Real American Cowboy Magazine, writing feature articles for Humps N Horns Magazine as well as a wide variety of national and international web sites, historical magazines and news publications. She is known for her "up close and personal" profiles of celebrities and industry moguls such as NPR's Tom Bodett; PBR's Wiley Petersen and D.H. Page, PRCA's Sammy Andrews, Cindy Rosser and Julio Moreno to name a few. She has been applauded for her way of making a personal connection between her readers and her subjects. She indulges in her love of rodeo by serving as an associate board member for the Caldwell Night Rodeo. She is also an accomplished trainer and handler in dog agility. Her shelties Amelie and Milo are titled in NADAC, USDAA and AKC.
