County Fair Feature: Kasun finds success showing local livestock
For Kaidyn Kasun, exhibiting livestock is an exciting challenge, a learning experience and a family tradition.
A native of Wheatland, Kasun picks out her show projects locally and takes pride in exhibiting high-quality animals from the state of Wyoming across the nation. She has been showing livestock for nine years, carrying on a tradition passed down from her parents, Skye Dunlap and Levi Clark.
Kasun keeps a busy schedule with two market wethers, one breeding doe, a breeding heifer and a market steer. She has been working with her 4-H and FFA goats and cattle for nearly a year and plans to show at Platte County Fair in late July before moving on to the Wyoming State Fair (WSF) Aug. 12-16.
A new venture
Kasun has been exhibiting cattle for nearly half of her life. Goats, however, are a more recent venture.
“I’m probably more confident in my skills showing beef than I am goats, but at the same time I enjoy goats because it’s essentially something new to conquer,” Kasun says. “It reengaged me into showing.”
Kasun got her start showing goats four years ago with the help of former exhibitor Chase Taylor of Riverton, who has since become a good friend and trusted mentor. Kasun says her confidence showing goats grows with each passing year, but she still trusts Taylor for advice in selecting high-quality animals to add to her show string each season.
Kasun also looks to local producers when it comes time to pick out her cattle projects each fall, favoring Shepard Show Steers out of Wheatland and LeClair Cattle Company in Lander.
In addition to showing livestock, Kasun is active in livestock judging. She competes with her high school’s FFA chapter during the school year, in addition to traveling to clinics and camps across the country throughout the summer and hopes to eventually go to college on a livestock judging scholarship.
Earlier this summer, Kasun took home first place at a livestock judging clinic at Texas Tech University. She credits her showing experience as a main pillar of her success in livestock judging and vice versa.
“Showing livestock has allowed me to increase my knowledge about livestock functionality,” Kasun says. “It really teaches you how to observe the animal and try to make them better as you’re showing them.”
Impressive achievements
In addition to honors in judging livestock, Kasun has been recognized for impressive achievements within the show ring.
“Being able to show high-quality animals nationally and compete with people across the country has been one of my favorite accomplishments,” Kasun says.
Kasun has exhibited champion stock in both species at jackpots and fairs alike.
In 2024, her market goat Stanley won grand champion at the WSF. That year Kasun also exhibited the Grand Champion Breeding Doe at the Dino-Mite Classic in Vernal, Utah.
Other favorite memories include being crowned reserve grand champion at the WSF Market Calf Show two times and finishing second in her class at the North American International Livestock Exposition with her market steer Ray in 2024.
“That calf was an absolute creature, and I’m very proud I had the opportunity to show him,” Kasun says.
“A big thing for me is the experiences you can have through showing animals,” she adds. “It’s not every day a kid gets to go showing in Kansas City, Mo. and Louisville, Ky. It just takes you across the nation and you get to meet so many people, make memories with them and experience so many things.”
“It also allows me to connect with my family and friends,” she continues, noting many of her friends are involved in agriculture and showing livestock.
Kasun’s parents also showed when they were around her age.
“It’s family heritage, essentially,” she states.
Collective effort
Kasun is quick to emphasize the impact her community has had on her show career. She credits her parents as the primary source of support.
“None of this would be possible without them,” she says. “They are always pushing me to be my best self in and out of the show ring.”
She also highlights the impact her “tribe” of fellow and former exhibitors have had on her many successes, crediting Hirshell and Kelli LeClair, Ty Velasquez, Zac Weston and Brooks Shepard for being important mentors in her show career, as well as Taylor specifically for her involvement with showing goats.
“Everyone in our tribe, as we call it, has taught me important lessons I will never forget and always use in my life,” Kasun says.
Kasun has also learned lessons from inside the show ring. Her dedication to her craft is clear from her outlook on every outcome.
“No matter how good you do or don’t do, throughout the wins and losses there are always lessons to be learned and experiences to be taken away from showing,” Kasun says.
“I think it’s important to use those lessons – and those losses – to fuel your drive and competitiveness for future years, no matter what you’re doing,” she concludes.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
