by Kyla Nesheim,  Editor/Director of  Communications

Hurdles
Track and field typically comes to my mind whenever the word “hurdle” is brought up. In my mind I picture six lanes with hurdles lined up every 27 feet (on the 100 meter run) and runners giving it their all to get over these obstacles standing in their running field. The individuals who choose to run this specific race put in a lot of training and practice. Then when the time has come for “race time” each individual has to have total concentration and determination. The same concept can be brought to the American Maine-Anjou Association (AMAA), American Junior Maine-Anjou Association (AJMAA) and the Maine-Anjou Voice. Actually, the same concept can be compared to any individual in any situation. We are all faced with hurdles in everyday life and everyday situations.
One can jump hurdles head on with agility and speed working, just like the typical race. Or, one can take the easy way out and simply walk around them and not make the effort to jump. Some may trip and stumble while trying to get over them. And some may even choose not to give an effort to get over them in the first place. It’s not what method we choose to get over these hurdles or even that we have hurdles to get over in the first place. We can’t avoid them, we all have hurdles in our lives. It’s how we choose to get over these hurdles that determine if we succeed or fail.
I consider this issue of the Voice (the Herd Reference issue) a major hurdle for myself. It takes a lot of teamwork and motivation to get over this hurdle, but the end product is so worth the race. We take it on full speed to get over all the hurdles we are faced with. This is our “big one” for the year. This issue marks my fourth Herd Reference issue of the Voice working as an employee of the AMAA. We continually strive to better this issue, and all issues for that matter, to give you a great product and marketing means for the Maine-Anjou breed. We couldn’t do it and make it possible without you. Thank you, sincerely, to all of you who advertised in this issue. We appreciate your business and it is a pleasure doing business with you all; it is a great issue to advertise in. This issue will be distributed heavily throughout the year at many shows and sales. We drag it everywhere with us and mail many out. Thank you to Martha Garrett for contributing a wonderful feature story on many of the breed's top breeders and exhibitors who have grown up with the breed and in the livestock industry and continue to succeed and have faith in such a great breed. And last, but certainly
not least, thanks to Jeana for putting in a lot of hard work to get this herd reference issue looking its best, it’s great to have you on board.
Within the Association and for breeders and producers, genetic defects have been a major hurdle. With a commercial test now readily available, we are able to make smart breeding decisions and work at taking care of these defects. The Association is also making strides within the registration department. Many breeders have tested their herds and are taking care of the problems within their own herds.
There are and always will be hurdles to get over no matter the individual or the situation. Again, it’s how we take on these hurdles that determine how we will come out in the race — first, last or somewhere in the middle. You need to make personal goals for the hurdles in your life. Whether these hurdles are genetic defect issues, to help a growing Association, to win a specific show, to make your operation better, or any other “hurdle” personal or business-related, hurdles are what you make of them and how you take them on. You can run those hurdles fast or sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get over them, but you can always succeed. You may run into some bumps and bruises along the way, but that will make for a much better ending. No matter whether there are many hurdles or just one, take them on with a positive mind set and you will always get over them.
See you down the road!