FITZ'S JOURNEY...
October 9, 2021
Last Wednesday, we had to say goodbye to our favorite bull calf of the season, Quakie Lane’s Fitz D. Bill. It was a bitter sweet moment as Fitz was preparing to make the journey of his life! He would travel from Southwest Wyoming to Mississippi and it would require a four day ride in a stock trailer.
Yesterday afternoon, Fitz finally arrived at his destination where he is now settling in as the new Junior Herd Sire at Southwinds!
When Fitz arrived, his new owners Wayne Smith & Sandra Williams Smith reported they were able to easily halter him, lead him off the trailer and take him to his new accommodations without incident.
They said, “He acted as if he had known us his entire life” and “Thank you for making our dreams come true! He is EVERYTHING we hoped for!”
That’s when the tears began to flow uncontrollably – I felt like an absolute IDIOT…Why was I crying?
I reflected on this and determined there were several reasons…It was a culmination of relief, happiness, and pride mixed with a tinge of sadness.
SADNESS because each and every Dexter is special in their own little way and emotional attachment is inevitable;
RELIEF that Fitz arrived safely. I could rest easy knowing he was finally standing on solid ground and green pastures;
PRIDE that Fitz remembered everything we had taught him over the last few months, including trust, which will allow him to bond with his new owners quickly;
PROUD that our breeding program produced a quality bull calf we can share with others;
HAPPINESS that Fitz has an absolutely wonderful new home with a beautiful herd of ladies to charm and wonderful humans we now consider friends;
Finally, we are SO HAPPY we could play a role in helping to make the Smith’s dreams come true – there is nothing more flattering or heartwarming!
IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS – we are not in the business of selling cattle. We are in the business of making dreams come true. I realized the tears were symbolic of one precious journey ending and another beginning…
We have learned that Dexters aren’t just cattle. Their gentle nature has a way of bringing like-minded people together and forming lasting relationships! A very exceptional breed of cattle, indeed!
It’s a new day and the tears have stopped flowing. I am now feeling thankful for Wayne & Sandra. We hope to be able to meet these special people in person one day – it has been a journey for all of us!
We wish them well in this new chapter of their life. We can’t wait to see pictures of Fitz as he matures and the progeny he produces…carry the torch little man and make us all proud! We knew you were special the day you were born!
A special thank you to Paul Briggs of BullShippers, LLC. Thank you for making this journey possible for all of us!