Cattle a big part of Campbell's life

By Halea Franklin
Linton Daily Citizen

SWITZ CITY -- 'For one Bloomfield, girl showing cattle is a big part of her life.

Angie Campbell, who has shown cattle for eight years, said she loves showing the animals.

"I've grown up on a farm and it's (showing cattle) just part of it," she said. "Of course the best part is winning -- when all your hard work finally pays off.

"I've just done it forever, so it's part of life now. I can't really think what it'd be like without it."

When Campbell, who will be a senior this fall at Bloomfield High School, began in 4-H, she said she also showed pigs and participated in projects such as photography. However, she decided to quit her other projects to focus on cattle.

"We're so dedicated to our cattle that it's just too much to do anything else," she said.

Campbell, whose sisters Afton and Kara were also in 4-H, said she and her family focus completely on their cattle.

"We work them hard," she said.

Every morning, Campbell said, they rise at 6 a.m. and catch the cattle with halters. They then rinse the cattle off and feed them. They also rinse the animals again around 4 p.m. and tie their heads up for about an hour and a half. They get fed again around 6 p.m. and let out at 10 p.m.

Campbell noted that rinsing the cattle twice a day not only helps keep the animals cool, but it also helps keep hair on them -- something that is important when showing cattle.

Campbell, who frequently travels to various cattle shows, said she loves meeting new people at shows.

"I love meeting people," she said. "I'll go anywhere to meet people."

Throughout 4-H, Campbell said she has learned hard work and responsibility.

Aside from 4-H, Campbell plays volleyball and softball at Bloomfield High School. She played basketball, but quit to focus more on her cattle. She said she attends many winter shows and balancing the two was difficult.

After high school, Campbell plans to attend Vincennes University before transferring to the University of Southern Indiana to study dental hygiene.

She is the daughter of Mike and Melinda Campbell of Bloomfield.'