Cows before classes

HOFFMAN, Ill. – As most high school seniors were settling into their first day of classes, Drew Lueking was in the show ring. He missed the first two days of school in exchange for showing at the Illinois State Fair and then skipped another day the following week to show at the DuQuoin State Fair.

“There’s no way that I’m ever going to be able to stay away from dairy cattle,” Lueking said.

Lueking and his dad, Doug, manage a small, registered show herd together, raising about 25 heifers and milking eight cows represented by all major dairy breeds except Jersey. In 2021, the family sold most of the herd, but the family’s passion for cows and showing never left.

Between dual-credit courses, playing sports and planning for life after graduation, Lueking’s schedule is full. Still, his true passion keeps leading him to the barn and the show ring.

Lueking has one sibling, Shana, and together with his grandparents, Donald and Marcella, and mother, Sheila, the family continues to keep the farm and its show ring tradition alive.

“My dad and I work hand-in-hand in terms of decision making,” Lueking said. “He likes to let me make the decisions, and I appreciate that because I’ll make wrong decisions, but you live and you learn.”

Their shared responsibilities give Lueking the chance to learn more about the dairy industry.

“If there’s a cow to be bred, I pick the sire and Dad breeds the cow,” Lueking said. “If there’s feeding to be done, I dump the feed and he puts the buckets in the show cattle barn.”

Lueking is also learning valuable life skills he can carry into the future.

“I’ve been blessed with the hardships and the good times of the farm, but I wouldn’t change a thing” Lueking said. “I have kids come to me (asking if I) ever get tired of the dirtiness, the work and waking up at 4 o’clock to wash. (I say) ‘No, I really don’t. I just love doing it that much.’”

That passion led Lueking to a record year.

Lueking won the Illinois FFA dairy cattle evaluation and management Career Development Event in reasons for the second time — which his father once won —  and has also earned numerous county and state fair wins with his family.

One highlight came with the family’s Brown Swiss senior 2-year-old, Lucky-King Kickstart Nutz. She was named grand champion of the Illinois State Fair Land of Lincoln in both the junior and open shows and was the family’s first cow to vie for supreme champion.

“We never had that, especially with a homebred cow,” Lueking said. “She’s a good one; we’re pretty proud of her.”

Judging has also been part of his success. Like his father before him, Lueking excels at giving dairy evaluation reasons.

“I really love cattle and I’m proud of myself that I can see them and give a good reason for why they are quality,” he said. “It gives me confidence and assurance that when we do keep this business running, that I can hopefully find cattle that will make it in the long term.”

For Lueking, family is at the core of every achievement.

“The goal is to grow as a family, and grow not only the cow families, but our families as well,” Lueking said. “The best part about it is when the cows look good and my family is there. It’s a family operation, and that makes it just a lot more special when we win.”

Now he feels like he is living a dream.

“I’m living the dream I had five years ago” Lueking said. “I’m being competitive to try to get to the next dream before I actually sit back and realize how good I really have it and how far we’ve come. I’m proud that we are achieving dreams here, and we’re not big-time guys trying to win classes at Madison (World Dairy Expo) every year, but we are achieving dreams that we had five years ago.”

After years in the barn and show ring, Lueking would tell other young dairy enthusiasts to always give it their 100% effort.

“I have learned from a lot of mistakes and triumphs we had, but the day you don’t give 100% is the day you lose,” Lueking said. “As long as you are better than you were the day before, that is what makes a person successful.”

For him, the lessons go beyond the ring.

“The day you say you can’t is the day you lose because you can’t control if your cow gets sick,” Lueking said. “You can’t control what the judge says that day, but you can control making the cow look the best they can and making sure the next year your cow looks better than it did the year before.”

His fascination with cattle genetics and love for dairy will always be a part of who he is, Lueking said. No matter what life after high school brings, Lueking views helping on the farm as a lifestyle, one where he has learned his desires for hands-on career opportunities.