As a freshman at Hobart High School, Lacy Talley is already juggling more roles than many upperclassmen, excelling on the track while building an impressive resume in FFA and the livestock show ring. She said the example set by her mother helps her manage it all.
“My mom inspires me most because she never gives up on anything and does everything to the best of her abilities,” Talley said.
On the track, Talley competes in pole vault, the 300-meter hurdles and the 400, and she also runs cross country and plays on the girls golf team. She said she enjoys both the grind of practice and the excitement of competition.
“I enjoy the practices and competitions against others and being part of a competitive team and group,” she said. “I also enjoy making new friends in various communities.”
In the classroom, her favorite subject is agricultural education, which connects directly to her work in FFA and the cattle industry. Her favorite teacher is her sixth-grade history teacher, Brett Barnett, who helped spark her love of learning.
Away from school and sports, Talley spends much of her time working with show cattle or relaxing with friends and her boyfriend. That “free time” often looks a lot like work. She competes in public speaking and livestock judging and manages multiple livestock projects, including showing heifers, steers and barrows while maintaining a registered show heifer cow-calf operation. She currently serves as the Oklahoma Hereford Queen and is a member of the National Hereford, Maine-Anjou, Chianna and Red Angus associations, as well as their Oklahoma affiliates. She also belongs to the Oklahoma Club Calf Association and Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen’s Association.
Her responsibilities include feeding and caring for all of her livestock, addressing medical needs, and using various grooming techniques on a daily basis. She also prepares for public speaking events, keeps financial records and maintains current and accurate information on her cow-calf and show stock. Talley said she tries to be a positive example to others in the process.
“I also play a role to inspire and be a positive role model to peers and younger agriculturalists,” she said.
From athletics, she said she has learned discipline, perseverance and that hard work pays off, lessons she plans to carry into her future. After high school, Talley hopes to attend the University of Oklahoma and major in criminal psychology.
For now, she is focused on improving on the track — with one new challenge in mind. “I would like to try 100 hurdles one day,” she said.
