NAILE Through a Mother’s Eyes

Every November, there’s a certain magic that settles over the North American International Livestock Exposition. The barns buzz as exhibitors roll in, kids radiate excitement, elite livestock unload, and thousands of pounds of green shavings transform the grounds. 

With this magic brings an army of grandmothers, moms, stepmoms, and mother figures keeping everything running behind the scenes. They’re the ones who packed the show shirts, fixed everyone's hair, hauled the kids to the barn before school, and stayed long after the sun went down. They keep everything together and everyone fed, even when the mornings were early and the nights were way too long. Moms are the backbone of so many show families, and Louisville gives them a front-row seat to watch that hard work pay off. 

For mom Carrie Bryant of Missouri, this year’s NAILE was especially meaningful. Her daughter finally got to show on the green shavings after years of participating in NAILE as a breed association junior board member. 

“It meant so much to see her walk in on the green shavings,” said Bryant.

Junior Cattle Show weekend is her favorite: every breed showing, the intensity of the Supreme Drive, and more elite cattle in two days than you’ll see anywhere else.  

“That’s why we come back,” she said.

For mom Kelsey Isringhausen of Jerseyville, Illinois, NAILE is practically a family heirloom. 

“My family has been coming to Louisville for as long as I can remember,” said Isringhausen.

Now, her kids are the fifth generation to exhibit at NAILE. 

“The livestock industry builds character and work ethic. It gives kids accountability,” she said.

Watching her children walk into the same barns she once did is a full-circle moment she’ll never forget. 

Throughout the barns, moms like Bryant and Isringhausen are doing the same things, fixing hair, pinning numbers, calming nerves, and cheering from the rail. They know every hour their kids have put in, every setback, every breakthrough, and every moment that led them to the ring. 

And that’s what makes NAILE more than just a livestock show.