A Family Legacy at NAILE

For many families, the best part of a livestock show happens outside the ring. It’s the generations who keep the tradition going. That’s what the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) means to Melissa Hart of North Adams, Michigan. Her family has worked in the livestock industry for generations, and that history makes returning to Louisville each November special.

Today, Hart works as a photographer and freelance writer for Dairy Agenda Today while also owning her own communications company, Hart Freelancing. Her work takes her to cattle shows, state fairs, and dairy events from March through November. However, her NAILE experiences began long before her career in livestock media.

Her first time at the show was in 1986 while attending Michigan State University as a member of the livestock judging team. She traveled to Louisville to compete in the National Livestock Judging Contest, beginning a relationship with the show that would continue throughout her life. She later returned for the National Block and Bridle meeting, brought a 4-H livestock judging team, and eventually attended as a newspaper editor covering the show through photography and stories.

Like many others, Hart's connection with NAILE is a generational one and started long before she ever stepped foot on the green shavings. When the show was still held in Chicago under the name Chicago International, her mother became the first female to judge at the event. At a time when opportunities for women in livestock judging were limited, this was a major accomplishment and an important part of the family's history.

After a fire at the Chicago International, the show eventually relocated to Louisville, where it continued to grow into the event livestock enthusiasts know today as NAILE. Although the location and name changed, the traditions and family connections remained.

Those traditions continued with Hart and her husband, who brought their own children into the show ring. Their children showed cattle at NAILE, creating another generation of memories at the same show where Hart first competed in college. From her mother's groundbreaking judging career to Hart's experiences competing and working at the show, and eventually watching her children exhibit cattle, each generation has found its own way of being involved.

When asked what it means to return to NAILE every year, Hart described the atmosphere in Louisville as something truly special. She talked about the green shavings and the welcoming environment that makes everyone feel like they belong.

She described NAILE as a "hallowed tradition" for her and her family, one that goes far beyond her own involvement.

Even after all these years, Hart still considers NAILE her favorite show of the year. She explained that when the show ends, she is never quite ready to leave.

For families attending NAILE for the first time, Hart encourages them to take their time and enjoy everything the event has to offer. She recommends spending several days exploring the barns, watching the shows, visiting with breeders and exhibitors, and enjoying everything Louisville has to offer.

As another NAILE Dairy Show comes to an end, families pack their trailers, load their cattle, and begin looking forward to next year when they will bring their same passion back to Louisville.