To describe 2017 as a good year for Shayla Fox might be an understatement.
Fox enjoyed an eventful, banner year. Just before she graduated from Lincoln High School in May, Fox won the 2017 Lincoln Riding Club Queen crown. That was not the least of her activities, only serving to kickstart a world of opportunities Fox found time to engage.
She enrolled at Northwest Arkansas Community College as a Poultry Science major and fulfilled a commitment left over from her affiliation as a member of the Lincoln Future Farmers of America Chapter. Fox traveled to Indianapolis, Ind., in October to compete in the 2017 FFA National Poultry Judging Career Development Event along with team members: Kali Brewer, Shylynn Osborne, and Lacie Carte, where they won the National FFA championship.
Fox was ranked third in the nation, helping the quartet bring home a National Championship to Lincoln. In November the team was recognized as special guests of honor at the National Collegiate Poultry Judging Career Development Event hosted by the University of Arkansas.
Much of the success Fox experienced came as a result of devotion to various commitments and hobbies dating back to her sophomore and junior years of high school and beyond. She was persistent even when she didn't win or her team didn't come out on top.
The daughter of Fannie Davenport, Fox has been riding by herself since she was 3-years-old. Growing up she has shown many different types of livestock at the Washington County Fair. She took home many purple and blue ribbons with her shorthorn heifers. Fox participated in many different FFA events and competed on the Poultry Judging team that came close but didn't win the state championship in her sophomore and junior years.
As a sophomore, Fox competed in the 2015 Lincoln Riding Club queen pageant and area rodeos. Fox didn't win the 2015 Lincoln Riding Club queen pageant, but the competitor within was not about to give up. She joined the Riding Club's drill team, the Regulators. Being a member of the LRC Regulators precision drill team improved her horsemanship and cowgirl skills. In addition to working on queening, every weekend Fox practiced with the drill team.
As a junior, Fox was part of an FFA Food Science team that won a state championship and placed fourth nationally. She placed in the gold division. Over the summer between her junior and senior years she continued drill performances at local rodeos and horse festivals maneuvering high-speed, choreographed patterns on horseback. That prepared her to win the 2017 LRC queen sash.
As a senior at Lincoln High School, she was an honor student with superb grades, winning many academic awards. In April, she placed first individually during the FFA Arkansas State Career Development Event in Poultry Judging. That high placement helped her team win the state team championship and qualify for FFA Nationals.
On the heels of that Fox prepared for the Lincoln Rodeo in May. This time around Fox won the pageant and received the title of 2017 Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo Queen. What she wasn't able to achieve in the past was no longer a dream.
Equally important was maintaining her ties to Lincoln's FFA Chapter and remaining a member of the Poultry Judging team. This time there was no disappointment. The Lincoln girls came home with what Lincoln FFA advisor Kevin Barenberg describes as the prize of a lifetime.
"It's a huge endeavor to get to this level," Barenberg said. "Having won is a life-long achievement."
Barenberg attributes persistence to winning the 2017 FFA National Championship in Poultry Judging.
"Because we didn't win state last year and because we didn't win two years ago we grew a little bit more," Barenberg said. "It lit that fire and made us all hungry. We were able to keep all the kids together. What we seen not able to have happen before was a blessing in disguise because we were able to win a National Championship this year."
"I had four kids that were all good," Barenberg said. "I had a complete team. It's easy to have one that is 'that good' and it's easy to have two that are 'that good,' but it's hard to have four that are 'that good.'"
MARK HUMPHREY IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE ENTERPRISE-LEADER.
Sports on 11/22/2017