Teaching Others, Teaching Ourselves

A senior at Tuttle High School, Destyn Emerson is no stranger to the showbarn. She has shown goats since the first grade, and she also began showing sheep along the way. When she’s not in the barn or in the showring, one might find her working on homework, livestock judging, or leading within her local FFA chapter. At just 17 years old, Emerson has several titles and tasks that keep her busy.

Her most recent designation? Teacher.

A couple of months prior to the 2022 Oklahoma Youth Expo, Emerson said she decided to participate in the OYE Doe Fitting Contest. A competition that required a partner, Emerson searched for a teammate to accompany her. After deliberation and conversation, she found a willing partner in her 11 year-old neighbor, Madilyn.

However, there was one slight challenge to overcome: Madilyn had never fit a goat before. So, Emerson set a meeting schedule and began teaching.

“It was really great to serve as a teacher to her in this way, especially since I never thought I would have the chance to do something like it,” Emerson said.

Each Sunday afternoon leading up to the competition, the duo met and practiced together. In between practicing fitting and refining their skills, they also developed a sweet friendship, Emerson said.

“Madilyn and I had a great time together, and I honestly felt as though she taught me just as much as I taught her,” Emerson said through a smile. “I found out we are both extremely competitive, and It was a fun, wonderful way to pay it forward.”

Before stepping into her role as the teacher, Emerson said there were many individuals who came before her and taught her, including her family and ag teachers.

Perhaps her closest bond and most influential figure is her sister, Chyann, Emerson said.

“Getting to grow up and have shown alongside my sister is my favorite thing,” Emerson said. “She is my biggest cheerleader and supporter, inside and outside the barn. There is nothing quite like having the support of her and my parents,” she added.

Their family dynamic is a lot of fun, and they push each other to be their best selves, Emerson said. The competitive spirit is not in short supply within the Emerson family, and that is what she credits much of her success to, she said.

It is this same competitive drive that prompted Emerson to compete in the 2022 OYE Doe Fitting Contest to begin with, and it is also what spurs her on each day, whether it be in the barn, the classroom, or on the threshold of a new adventure.

“Competition has always been a big part of who I am,” Emerson said.”It serves as one of my greatest strengths and, occasionally, one of my downfalls.

“It has instilled in me the practice of self-discipline, especially within the livestock industry where so much of it comes down to personal performance and excellence,” she added.

All of this and more is why her favorite contest to compete in is showmanship, Emerson said.

Destyn Emerson showing in the 2022 Breeding Doe show.

Her most recent accolades in the showmanship realm include 2022 Tulsa State Fair Supreme Champion Meat Goat Showman, and her favorite memory: winning Grand Champion Wether Showman at the Tulsa State Fair in 2019.

“It’s an all-day-every-day job, but it’s one that is absolutely worth it,” Emerson said.

As she progresses through her senior year, Emerson said her goals are to make the OYE Sale of Champions in the wether show and work hard to win the OYE showmanship contest.

After graduation, Emerson said she plans on attending a junior college and joining their livestock judging team before transferring to Oklahoma State University. She plans to major in animal science and pursue a career in embryology.

As for her and Madilyn, one just might see them competing together again at the 2023 Oklahoma Youth Expo because as the old saying goes, “in teaching others, we teach ourselves.”

– Written by Emile Mittelstaedt