Achieving a Dream

The stage was set for the 2024 North American International Livestock Exposition’s Junior Goat Showmanship Show. 16-year-old Jaci Falkenstein stepped into the ring with one goal: take home the purple and gold banner adorned with the words “Champion Overall Showmanship.” 

Falkenstein has spent the past ten years in the show barn, working toward the moment the judge selected her as the winner.

“I told the judge it was a dream come true being able to compete on a big stage like this,” said Falkenstein. “I am living the dream.”

She is lucky to be chasing her dream with the guidance of her older brother, Luke Falkenstein, who exhibited livestock for 14 years. He says Jaci sets the bar high for herself when working with her animals, spending at least five hours daily in the barn after school.

“She doesn’t get to play any sports despite being pretty athletic or have any free time really,” said Luke. “At the level we are competing at, you can really only choose one activity.”

The sacrifices made to get to this point are well worth it to the Falkensteins, not because of their successes but the community that surrounds them. They have built a family in the barn and eagerly await seeing them at each show. For Jaci, this means competing with friends chasing the same goal.

“It is incredible getting to see the family you have built competing alongside you, reaching their goals, and making their dreams come true too,” said Jaci.

Jaci competes at three major shows each year: Kansas City, Louisville, and Denver. 

“Everyone knows about NAILE,” Jaci said. “You think about walking out on the green chips and competing; it is just a good time. It is about a ten-hour drive for us, so the anticipation really builds.” 

This year, Jaci’s main focus was going with the flow and focusing on the end goal. As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, she said she often got flustered over small details. 

“It is learning to get through the obstacles and issues and being able to fix them in order to make the animal look the best possible,” said Jaci.

Her brother believes Jaci’s biggest obstacle has been overcoming her fear of the big stage. 

“At home, she is perfect, learning and adjusting on the fly,” said Luke. “This year, we have had a really good year of putting practice into play. I think it is because of what we talked about earlier, showing to win, not to prevent losing.”

When asked what their best advice was for someone just starting, the Falkensteins both hit on the importance of being confident in the ring. They encouraged everyone to ask questions because there is a reason if you see someone winning. 

“I think the reason why we show and why this industry is so special is it turns young kids into adults,” said Luke. “They are learning in and outside of the show ring in terms of work, dedication, and maturity patterns. Whatever she wants to do in her life, I know she can tackle it.”