Saddle up to San Antonio!

Tomorrow morning, I will leave my home at the crack of dawn. Actually, before the crack of dawn. I’m talking about the REAL crack of dawn here, not the Laura-version-of-anything-before-double-digits-kind of crack of dawn. And I am ecstatic about it.

Why, you ask? Because I’ll be boarding a 7 a.m. flight for San Antonio to attend the 2010 Cattle Industry Convention!

The Cattle Industry Convention is to conferences what the glorious Cheyenne Frontier Days is to western celebrations – the daddy of em’ all. It’s a week full of education, sharing, meetings, entertainment and camaraderie for cattlemen across the nation. And it’s epically fun.

Five years ago, I attended my first NCBA convention as a National Beef Ambassador. It was an incredible eye-opening experience for a first-time-convention-goer who was just getting my foot in the door of the beef industry. It was, without a doubt, the experience that made up my mind – I would forever work in the beef industry. Preferably in a job that would take me back to NCBA Convention and other gatherings of the like.

Two years ago, I went as an NCBA intern – it was an amazing experience, professionally and personally. I worked with a group of wonderful friends who I still love dearly. I also made a connection with the folks at the Certified Angus Beef trade show booth. They told me to apply for an internship with them. I did. After my internship, they told me to apply for a full time job. I did. Now they are sending me back to NCBA convention as their employee – I can’t wait!

It will be a busy week – the kind where you run on absolutely ZERO sleep and thrive on it. Meetings start at 7 a.m., end at 9 p.m., then re-convene during social hours that usually last late into the night. My head will likely be exploding with information, and I will do my best to let some of it overflow here!