We Live It | LiveAg's Livestock Marketing Podcast

In this episode of We Live It, host Ty deCordova sits down with two leaders who understand what it means to build something that lasts.
We hear from Mary Russell of Higginbotham Insurance as she shares her perspective on investing in young people, supporting agricultural families, and strengthening the livestock community through leadership and service. Berry Cooper of Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que joins the conversation to talk about legacy, full circle moments in the cattle industry, and why getting youth involved in showing livestock is critical to the future of agriculture.

From stock shows to mentorship, business leadership to faith in the next generation, this episode dives into:
• Youth involvement in showing livestock
 • Building leadership in the cattle industry
 • Supporting the next generation of producers
 • The importance of community in agriculture
 • Full circle moments in Texas cattle country

If you care about the future of the livestock industry and the young people stepping into it, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.

🎧 Listen now and join us as we continue telling the stories of the people who live it every day.

00:00 – Welcome from Cooper’s | 20,000 Head Selling Today
 01:00 – Introducing Mary Russell & Berry Cooper
 02:00 – Mary’s Background at Higginbotham (36 Years in Insurance)
 03:30 – How Higginbotham Got Involved in the Stock Show
 04:30 – Buying the Grand Champion “Snoop Dogg”
 05:30 – Emotional Moments in the Sale Ring
 07:00 – Berry’s Story: From Showing Steers to Judging & Leadership
 09:00 – From County Agent to Corporate to Cooper’s BBQ
 11:00 – Why Supporting Youth in Agriculture Matters
 12:30 – The Character of Show Kids
 14:00 – The Power of Mentors: County Agents & Ag Teachers
 15:30 – The Networking Power of Livestock Shows
 17:00 – Small World Ag Stories & Lifelong Connections
 18:30 – Final Thoughts on Investing in the Next Generation

Creators and Guests

Host
Ty deCordova
Ty DeCordova is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in cattle marketing. He spent 20 years at Superior Livestock Auction, including his final years managing the Country Page as well as the block during video auctions. This allowed Ty to develop a deep understanding of the cattle industry's operations and build relationships with cattle buyers on a national level. Ty now oversees all operational aspects of the business, ensuring efficiency and excellence across all areas. Ty comes from a family with a long-standing history in the cattle industry. Growing up in Groesbeck, Texas, he and his brother started their own cattle business during their teenage years, purchasing and selling loads of steers. By the age of 17, Ty was actively involved in buying cattle at sale barns for his father, gaining hands-on experience. This early exposure to the sale-barn environment shaped his lifelong passion and expertise in cattle marketing. Ty continues to run cattle today and is committed to serving the agriculture industry.
Guest
Casey Mabry
Casey comes to Blue Reef following over a decade-long career with Cargill. Casey’s career in the industry started as a cattle buyer in Western Nebraska and Wyoming for six years. Casey then moved to Wichita, KS where he worked in boxed beef pricing with a focus on understanding out front prices and position optimization. Casey then took to cattle procurement as a Strategic Supply Manager where he focused on cattle formula and grid marketing arrangements working with Cargill’s largest suppliers. Casey’s experience in cash and value based marketing of cattle can be a valuable asset to your operation. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Texas Tech University where he served on the Meats Judging team, and a Masters from Tarleton State University where he coached the Meats Judging team. Casey resides in Brock, TX with his wife Deidrea and daughters Reyse, Avery, and Brooklyn.
Producer
Katy Holdener
Katy Holdener's journey in agricultural communications began on her family's row crop farm in California's Central Valley, where she developed a deep appreciation for the industry. After earning a degree in Agricultural Communications and Economics from Oklahoma State University, Katy has been fortunate to work with respected organizations such as the American Hereford Association, American Angus Association, Superior Livestock Auction and BioZyme, Inc. These experiences have provided her with valuable insights into seedstock and commercial livestock marketing. Katy strives to create effective marketing strategies that support the company and its consignors.

What is We Live It | LiveAg's Livestock Marketing Podcast?

Welcome to the "We Live It" ranch and livestock marketing podcast, where cattle market intelligence meets ranch-ready wisdom. Join hosts Ty deCordova with LiveAg and Casey Mabry with Blue Reef Agri-marketing as they bring you straight-talk market analysis, proven strategies, and insights from industry leaders who understand ranching isn't just a business - it's a way of life.
From livestock market trends to cattle management practices, each episode delivers actionable knowledge to help take your ranching operation to the next level. Whether you're in the saddle or in the truck, tune in for conversations that matter to modern cattlemen. Because we don't just talk about the cattle business...we live it.

Ty deCordova:

Welcome back to the We Live It podcast live here at Cooper's Barbecue on this fine Thursday morning. We got about 20,000 head of cattle to sell today. It's starting at this morning at 09:00. So tune in live-ag.com or our YouTube channel to watch that. Got a lot of good feeder cattle from throughout the country.

Ty deCordova:

A lot of good grazing cattle. Several cattle, good light cattle in Nebraska and Wyoming up through there. Got a lot of good beef dairy cross light calves coming on today from weighing 400 and then some go back up towards Indiana in that way. We got some seven weights throughout there. We had a really, really nice offering of registered Angus cows on this afternoon to sell right after lunch today.

Ty deCordova:

Tune in to that. That's a really good set of cows there. You you don't wanna miss those. So just a very good offering of right around 20,000 head of cattle today. It's like I said, the sale starts at 09:00.

Ty deCordova:

But starting off here today, Casey's not with us today. He had to be in San Antonio. His kids are showing hogs down there, so maybe we'll get a report later on today on how they're getting along. They had a very successful Fort Worth last week. His I think his oldest daughter was second in her class, so they had a really good week.

Ty deCordova:

My daughters both made the sale there with their steers. Tyler was seventh in the heavyweight Angus, and Peyton was seventh in the class nine exotics. So here with me today, I have the opportunity to talk to Mary Russell with Higginbotham and Barry Cooper with Cooper's Barbecue. They were both, there and blessed our kids there last week at the stock show, and we kinda wanted to talk a little bit about that on how y'all got involved, what that means to y'all, and just but first of all, give us a little we've had Barry on before talking about the barbecue and all and and what he's done, his background, and how he grew up in the industry. And but Mary we've never had on you had you on yet so kind of fill us in on your background and where you come from and what y'all do and what y'all do at Higginbotham.

Mary Russell:

Thank you and thank you for the opportunity to come visit with you. So Mary Russell I've been at Higginbotham for thirty six now. Insurance agency our home office is Fort Worth but we got a heavy footprint across the Southeast Part of The United States. Born and raised a Texan originally El Paso moved here, Fort Worth with my high school sweetheart. And, he was in the Air Force.

Mary Russell:

And we decided we love Fort Worth. We raised our family. My family actually goes back. We were ranchers. My family was Tandy and they had a big old ranch up in Panhandle.

Mary Russell:

So, hadn't didn't come into my family level for years. And then, you know, my son Trevor, who's in the business with me, decided one day he wanted to raise steers. And I went, I know where this came from. It's in your blood. You just don't know it.

Mary Russell:

Anyway, my role at Higginbotham, I head up the personal insurance side for customers as well as the farm and ranch. And, got in that when I started at Higginbotham, loved working with the individual clients on their needs. And of course, being here in Texas, the opportunity to work with a lot of people. Farms, ranches are their primary homes. They're not just a commercial business all the time.

Mary Russell:

So that got me started. And then through the years, Higginbotham, I'll go into the stock show. Is that okay? How we got involved there? One of my partners at Higginbotham, William Blanchard, was on the syndicate that actually coordinates people to come buy these, the livestock from the kids that participate.

Mary Russell:

And came to me one year and said, Would to you come and donate some money and let's buy something and I, oh, absolutely. I went to my first auction years ago or the first sale and I got so excited. I haven't missed one since. So, love the connection. I love seeing those fine, fine young people that there's a lot of work that goes into raising these animals, a lot of time, commitment, and their families.

Mary Russell:

It's also one of those that I learned from with Trevor. He had that steer, but you know how much time our family spent at the barn together. And so, the whole world of raising an animal, caring for it was a whole new adventure for our family doing a big steer like a heifer here. As opposed to just you know a pet around the house. A dog.

Mary Russell:

Love that. Love coming back every year. Higgin bought them bought for the first time. Four years ago we bought the Grand Champion. We have our individual producers step up and I want to put some money in the hat and let's go see what we can buy.

Mary Russell:

And we decided we were going to do on our seventy fifth anniversary, we were going to buy the Grand Champion. So we bought Snoop Dogg that year. Snoop Dogg was our steer and just loved it. And you know what? The young lady that won that, her family, we've stayed in touch.

Mary Russell:

We had her come speak at one of our Higginbotham events. And, just to hear how how much it had changed her life and the experience and here's a small world story. This year, we were there at the auction as you know and her family was there. Her younger brother came up to Rusty Reed, our CEO, and he said, I don't know if you remember me, but my sister, you bought her steer, and it was Snoop Dogg. And Rusty said, I remember you.

Mary Russell:

What are you doing? He said, Well, I'm not at her level yet, but in about two years, I'm going to be back here. And Rusty said, You know what? That's going to be our eightieth anniversary, so we're going be looking for You better be here. That's right.

Mary Russell:

And you know, in a few more years, till just keeps growing with those grand champions. So so we look forward to to seeing him and whoever's there in the future. But this year, I was so excited. Both your girls made it and and we were just we we do have somebody that you know personally and you know how hardworking and just good folks and they were so proud. Those girls

Ty deCordova:

I turned around there after Tyler come through and y'all took the picture and I grabbed the steer and was walking around the back and I turned around and I'm like, choke up talking about this. You and her were hooked up, crying with each other because she, that's dear she loved and

Mary Russell:

Yeah.

Ty deCordova:

We've just seeing you do that with her. It just, it's.

Mary Russell:

I'm in a tear up. Now, you stop. Yeah. Yeah. But.

Mary Russell:

Yep.

Ty deCordova:

Pretty good stuff. It just you can't beat that.

Mary Russell:

No. So. It's personal and and for us, it's to continue watching and going what she doing? What she going to do next? And so, I I just love the opportunity but I love more more in what the people that I've met.

Mary Russell:

Look who I got to meet this year. I got I I was tickled to death because I went, here's he's right here in Fort Worth. Of course, I'm having barbecue, don't you know? Yeah. And I went, I love this.

Mary Russell:

Here's a new Here's a new friend and right here in Fort Worth and you could probably tell by looking at me that I like to eat. So, so always a good friend who's got a good good place for me to come eat.

Ty deCordova:

And it's and go go back into how how it's such a blessing for for all of what y'all all do and to the kids. But the story that that that the next story we'll get into is is how Barry I mean, I've known Barry for since we've been coming here doing all these sales. And most of the time when we talk about kids, we're talking about sports. Like, Jason talks about his kids in baseball and the stuff they do. And then Barry and them are big in tennis because they're from Mason, and Mason's got a big tennis program.

Ty deCordova:

So I talked to Barry about my oldest daughter playing tennis and really never even about showing the steers and stuff. So I'm sitting down there visiting with Trevor at getting kinda ready for Tyler to come in and say, well, somebody grabs me by the back of my neck and says, you can't be down here. And I'm like, uh-oh, I'm in trouble. Turn around and it's Barry. So we go to talking.

Ty deCordova:

He said, well, I didn't know your kids even showed Sears. I'm like, well, yeah, they both got Sears in the cell. He said, well, we never talk about that. We always talk about tennis. So we visit for a little bit and about five minutes later, he comes back up and he said, which one of the girls plays tennis?

Ty deCordova:

So, I tell him and and bring him down there and introduce y'all everybody to him and he grabs Peyton up and they go up there and talk to the women the steering

Barry Cooper:

Women's steering business.

Ty deCordova:

The steering businesses committee and that he takes Peyton right up there to the front row and go to talking to them. Well, they just all hit it off and I'm like, this is all a god thing. I mean, god will put you in the right places at the right time and if you'll just if you'll just listen to him and and abide by him, he he'll he'll lead all of that and it just it was so phenomenal to see it all together and my kids be able to visit with with y'all and with with that that group of ladies and so, Barry, tell us kind of how how you got involved in I mean, y'all have been helping out there for a long, long time and just kinda

Barry Cooper:

Well, I think it it actually it it goes all the way back to the roots. So born and raised in Lano, Texas and started showing Barrows when I was in the third grade. So, So either eight or in the third grade you could start. So showed bearers all through school all the way till I was a senior. Showed steers as a junior and senior.

Barry Cooper:

And so was part of the program and one of my lifelong mentors was my county agent, John Kuykendall. We lost him years ago, but John was a huge influence on me and my career. So much so that when I came out of grad school, my first job, I was a county extension agent because I wanted to be John Kuykendall. There you go. And that was too big a shoes to fill.

Barry Cooper:

Got into it at an early age. Then in college, was on a livestock judging team. And then I coached a livestock judging team. And then I got involved, with judging shows, and then I became I was the swine superintendent of Fort Worth. I was a I was an official at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1987 until 2017.

Barry Cooper:

So I either superintendent and or a judge or an official. I judged a bunch of shows and then obviously got in the auction business. So I started buying steers, and I was I took a time out from the family business. I was in the corporate world for eighteen years. I was in Fort Worth.

Barry Cooper:

So I bought my first steer in Fort Worth in 1989. And so it was a number of years there. Then I moved off. And I came back to Fort Worth in 2000. And in 2000, I judged the swine breeding show at Fort Worth.

Barry Cooper:

And then I got back involved. And then once we launched Cooper's, then it became a natural to be a participant with the Fort Worth Stock Show as Cooper's Old Town Pit BBQ. Not the corporate guy anymore, and we've been buying Sears and or pigs or something ever since.

Ty deCordova:

Man, that's that's just neat how it all comes full circle. You know, you did it as a kid, and you come back around to it. Now you're support them. I mean, Trevor did it as a young man and now you are back around here supporting them and and we can't we can't thank y'all as parents of these kids for for continuing to support that way of life in this industry that we're all in and that we all love because they are the future of this industry. I mean, to continue it on, we have to raise them in that in that aspect in that way because I would we interviewed a young lady today for a job and she grew up in the livestock business.

Ty deCordova:

She grew up showing cattle and you could tell it. You could tell the worth that she has, the responsibility she has because she kind of interned for us over the summer so we already knew how hard she'd work. She'd be on time, she'd get up early, she'd stay late, she'd it's just the way they're raised. And for y'all to pour into those kids like that and bless them with with monetary bless them so they can go on to do their college college stuff and and go wherever they want to go to get that education. We we can't thank y'all enough for doing that.

Ty deCordova:

I mean, I know y'all do y'all don't do it for that. Y'all don't do it for the things. Y'all do it because that's what y'all wanna do and you you all know that's right. But we as parents and and leaders of of the industry, we can't thank y'all enough for pouring in this industry, and that's what y'all are doing. You are blessing them so we can keep them going.

Barry Cooper:

Well, I think I'm gonna counter you just a little bit. I think we we I think we to a large extent, we do it because we know what kind of kids they are, and we look for those kind of kids. And and frankly, hear so much bad in the world all the time. And you see the bad news all the time. And then you run across these kids showing livestock, and it doesn't matter what barn you're in.

Barry Cooper:

And they're looking you in the eye and they're saying, yes, sir. No, Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. They have manners. They say thank you.

Barry Cooper:

And you say, man, I feel refreshed about the youth in America and about some of the ones that are left because in the business I'm in, we have thousands of people walk through our doors every week. And I see a lot of kids that you just don't wanna be around. And you get to a stock show world, and so oftentimes you find these small town kids or big town kids or inner city kids in some of these chapters. And you say, Man, this is pretty cool. They're learning some things.

Barry Cooper:

They're doing some things. Ag's a lot bigger than it was in my day in the ag sciences world with FFA. And you just want to be around those kinds of kids because they're given a little extra effort. They're trying. It's not only the time in the barns.

Barry Cooper:

And then where else do you go anymore where all the families involved together? Just like she talked about being in the barn, whichever, and what that was like. Well, now you see these families. And, you know, a week ago, I didn't know you had two kids that showed steers, and I never met your wife. Now I felt like I'm part of the

Ty deCordova:

family. Exactly. Exactly.

Barry Cooper:

That's how it works.

Ty deCordova:

You know, you're talking about your county agent, the the one that you've idolized, and and we all go through that stage. I had one that I I we loved. He hauled us. He hauled me and my brother everywhere. Donald Kim, you probably you probably heard of Donald Kim.

Ty deCordova:

He's pretty high up in the whole deal now. And then just like my girls, I text we we had a FFA teacher that that really takes them under their wing. And then we had a county agent, he he he he was there till two years ago. Probably, he stepped into a different role. But, I mean, he he he molded them kids, and and that's they they kinda help raise them.

Ty deCordova:

And I text that FFA teacher on the way home from Fort Worth the other day and just thanked him for for what he's done and and and the inputs he put in our kids. And the same thing with with Groshky. He was our other county agent. I mean, the the the teachings that they teach our kids too and and the outpouring that they do, we don't give them thanks enough neither because everybody's busy but I want to shout out to all those county agents, all those FFA teachers too because they keep our kids going and they pour into them and they treat them like their own and man it's just a big circle. It's great.

Barry Cooper:

It's funny I've looked back because we had two Ag teachers or FFA instructors too, still Mr. Wessels and Mr. Russell remember them just like yesterday because they were also big influences. But in my time, you didn't only know the ag teachers and the county agents in your county, you knew all the ones around you. And as we haul down the road, you shared hotel rooms with these people, you competed with them in the ring.

Barry Cooper:

And then lo and behold, what happens? You off to college and then you're running into somebody you met in the stock show world or you're rooming with somebody or you're a livestock judging team with somebody that you competed against or you're on one team and they're on another team because they're at Texas Tech University or at Oklahoma State or wherever they might be. So the circle just kinda continues to to expand and it and it never really goes away.

Ty deCordova:

But it's like I explained to Peyton the other day when she come down and met with you and then met with all those ladies. I said, you don't know the doors that that all that can open for you in the future because she does probably gonna end up going to Texas A and M or try to go to Texas A and M. They can open the door there. When you get there, when you when you get out of there, They're gonna be they're gonna know you. You're gonna be able to talk to them, they can they can open doors for you in business and the things you wanna do in life.

Ty deCordova:

And and just like you and to Tyler, I was like telling her, I mean, don't know what aspect of the ministry you're gonna go in, but they know them all. They they can open doors for you. And and it's not a all the time, it's not about what you know. Sometimes it's about who you know, and and and they respect you, and they and you but you gotta work to keep that way, but them doors can be opened for you that way. And that's that's what's the networking of it all about.

Ty deCordova:

I mean, I just it was so awesome. I got pictures of of my both my daughters talking to y'all and and introducing and then then you having her up there and talking to to y'all. And then I'm like, this will be forever. They'll always remember this. And then y'all will always remember them because they did put an impact Cause they come shook your hand.

Ty deCordova:

They did talk to you like they're supposed to like grown ups and introduce yourself. And I mean, I love it. I just it I get all fired up about it. So

Barry Cooper:

Well, it's like, you know, it's funny because we we talked about the bowl story last time. So, you know, we have the the barber brands. So I've known them for as long as I can remember. And obviously originally it was Brett and Terry and Jason and Justin weren't even showing. And then I remember when they started showing and then they're out and they're running with the breedings.

Barry Cooper:

You have all these guys and all these kids showing and then forever, they're little and they're showing callous, I don't know if I'm talking to Jason or I'm talking to Justin. I really don't know which one's I

Ty deCordova:

think that you don't know what neither one of them is saying.

Barry Cooper:

Right. Yeah, right. And then finally, I mean, they got later in life and then I think Justin finally got married so I can look at the wedding ring and say, Okay, I got Justin. Jason's not married yet. Now I know him apart.

Barry Cooper:

And I know the kids, back in the day. But it goes the way back to when they were kids and they were stock showing. Then now here we are today with live ag and what you do and what Jason does and the whole piece and the Barbara Ranch imitation bull sitting on the patio that everybody loves. And here we are. And that's kind of what this thing gives you too.

Barry Cooper:

Oh,

Mary Russell:

and let's go into the small world story of Jason Barber.

Ty deCordova:

Yeah.

Mary Russell:

Plays his son, Cole, plays baseball. He's a little league baseball player like you connected their daughter playing tennis. He plays baseball. Trevor.

Barry Cooper:

Who in the

Mary Russell:

world would have known? Trevor coaches Cole.

Ty deCordova:

Yeah.

Mary Russell:

I and just that small world story. So, when we met you, here here we go. Look at that. Yeah. Next degree of separation and I just go, I love that.

Mary Russell:

The the cattle raisers association. Yeah. We we work with a lot of the the members of the cattle raisers and got to know a lot of good people through there and and they reach out going. So and so's made the the sale. Yeah.

Mary Russell:

So and so and they reached out the day before to let us know. And I said, well, do you know Ty's daughters have made it? Oh, my gosh. So you want to talk about this is a big world, but it's a small world connected by some really good people. We collectively and you made a very good point.

Mary Russell:

Thought the same thing is sometimes you get you hear the bad news all the time and you get discouraged. But by golly, I tell you what, that day, that weekend being around those kids, it was motivating, it was uplifting. And for me, I'm like, you know what? We've got good folks. The next generation's going to be a good hand.

Mary Russell:

They're going to be fine.

Ty deCordova:

Speaking of cattle razors, Steven Diebold is one of the first person to text me after both the girls made the sale. He certainly shot me a text and said, congratulations. He's vice president of the cattle razors.

Mary Russell:

Yep. Yep.

Barry Cooper:

So,

Ty deCordova:

he we showed with their boys for for a while there and they graduated and gone now but we run down the road with them for quite a bit but that's great family too but yeah, that's a Yep. Solid Yeah.

Barry Cooper:

Well, It's a really small world. The young lady sitting out here running the computer in the sound tells me hello at Coopers today. Hey, my father-in-law says to tell you hello, I think you know him. I'm like, who's that? And it's Kevin Newsome.

Barry Cooper:

It's like only since the eighties probably, you know? It's like, how would I have known that before if she wouldn't have said something and she just came from a stock show in San Angelo? And there they are. And it's like, once again, that circle kind of

Ty deCordova:

Her and your wife had the same

Barry Cooper:

Absolutely. From Oklahoma And then you go back, you really want to go back and dial it back. I mean, I can go back a long ways. But the steer that you guys bought, Snoop Dogg, which was, if I've got my numbers right, that was bred by a guy named Mark Shaw out of Canyon, Texas that was the breeder of the steer. And Mark Shaw was on the Oklahoma State University livestock team in 1983, is the same year I was on the livestock team at Angelo State University.

Ty deCordova:

I mean, we just tied all together back and back. Yeah. Yeah.

Barry Cooper:

We go right back into like, you can't make this stuff up.

Ty deCordova:

No. You can't. It's just it's you know, I can't thank you enough. Kind of kind of wrap up here. Is there any other stories y'all wanna share before we go?

Ty deCordova:

Or

Barry Cooper:

I got one, but it has to do with pigs not cattle, but I love to tell it because it's so good. Yep. So we we we do some work with a group called Bandaberas, which is a a group of ladies that buy pigs. Right? And it's Whitney Cardwell and Janie Van Zant and some other ladies, Elizabeth Burlick.

Barry Cooper:

And anyway, they have some fundraisers here at Cooper's and they plan their meetings and things here. But when they first started, I didn't know these people at all. And so we're having a meeting in the restaurant planning their first fundraiser. And lo and behold, one of them's phone rings and she picks it up and looks at it. The husband says, that'll just be more bad news.

Barry Cooper:

We'll call her back later. And she turns the phone upside down. Okay. Now this is all about buying pigs at Fort Worth. That's what the fundraiser is for.

Barry Cooper:

Put the phone down. We finished the meeting. They go out the door. A little bit later, they're back, they're coming back in the door and the parents, the people, they're crying. The mom and dad, husband and wife.

Barry Cooper:

And I'm like, what's the matter? And they're like, nothing's the matter. I said, why are you crying? Because we're happy. Why are you happy?

Barry Cooper:

That phone call that we thought was more bad news was the adoptions agency from Granbury saying, got a baby for you and it's not just one, it's two and they'll be here next Thursday. Those little girls are now three and a half years old. I call them the Vanzant Tornadoes. One of these days they'll be showing pigs and I'll be sitting right there on the front row. You can bank on it.

Barry Cooper:

But it all goes back to the stock show. And this year we bought a pig out of Coleman. When I first came out of school, I was county agent in Coleman, Texas, like I explained. I hung out in the feed store every day. I didn't know anybody in Coleman.

Barry Cooper:

I was single. I I go to feed store. Feed store owner today, forty years later, still friends calls me the other day and he says, You're to buy anything at Fort Worth? And I said, Well, maybe. He said, Would you buy a pig?

Barry Cooper:

I said, Why? Well, there's a really good kid that you need to look. He's one of our customers, but I'm telling you, he's your kind. Sure enough, go down, meet the kid, all the people in the swine barn. Oh, yeah, that kid's super.

Barry Cooper:

He says, yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. Yes, sir. Thank you. Appreciate him.

Barry Cooper:

So the Bande Barras, the twins' parents, and their entourage and myself, we buy the pig on, on Saturday morning. Once again, that's kind of a forty year story. And then with the adoption part, it's just cool as all get out. But that all happened here because of the stock show. Had one of them and a boy that were going be named Cooper, but we got two beautiful girls named Carolina Collins.

Barry Cooper:

So, it's just part of it. And everybody that works in here knows the story. And when they show up here, it just brings a smile to your face. But it all goes back to the stock show thing is what planted that seed and helped make that happen.

Ty deCordova:

Love It's all a God thing, guys. You

Mary Russell:

couldn't orchestrate

Ty deCordova:

this No, you for couldn't do that. Once again, I cannot thank you all enough for joining us on here and telling y'all story and helping the youth of this industry doing what you all do. Just we can't thank you all enough for being part of it. From the bottom of my heart, me and my family, thank you all.

Mary Russell:

Thank you.

Barry Cooper:

Thanks for having us. We appreciate what you all do too. Yeah.

Ty deCordova:

Be sure to tune in next Tuesday at ten a. M. We will have our equipment auction out at ten a. M. On Tuesday.

Ty deCordova:

It's live online. Pre bidding is open. You can get on liveag.com and go look over the offering for next Tuesday. Also, we've had a change in schedule. Our March sale will be March 20.

Ty deCordova:

It will be in Columbus, Ohio at the Ohio Beef Expo. We will be on grounds there for that. That is March 20 in Columbus, Ohio. The deadline for that sale is March 10. Thank you, Katie.

Ty deCordova:

I keep getting these dates all messed up. But once again, just thank everybody for watching and tuning in to the We Live It podcast. Thank you very much, and God bless.