4Rivers and Partner Cal Sidwell Attend National Western Stock Show
A Colorado Tradition
The National Western Stock Show (NWSS) is an annual Colorado tradition, taking place this year for sixteen days between January 11th to the 26th. The NWSS hosts nationally recognized professional rodeo events, horse shows, and livestock exhibitions just to name a few highlights, and attendance each year verges on the 700,000-visitor mark.
4Rivers Equipment was proud to once again be a part of the NWSS, not only by showcasing some of our John Deere machines on the event grounds, but also by partnering with junior market exhibitor, Cal Sidwell, as he made his journey to showing his lambs at the Junior Market Lamb Show on Wednesday, January 16th.
4Rivers won the bid for the “partner experience” with Cal at the Colorado Future Farmers of America (FFA) Meat & Greet event back in November and kept us up to date on his progress between the auction and the NWSS itself. Cal is a very busy guy and recently notched his 100th high school win in wrestling, all the while preparing diligently for the NWSS with three lambs: Parker, Cael and Keegan.
Cal said the day-to-day of these three is just as eventful as his days at school.
“First, they get their breakfast at 7:30 in the morning, then on the weekends I exercise them at 10:30,” Cal said. “[Then they] get their leg hair washed and conditioned, and while their legs are out, I practice showing them around 15 minutes each, make sure they are ready to show off and behave when presenting themselves in the show ring. After that, they get a break until 5:30 at night when they get their evening feeding.”
Responsibility and Hard Work
2025 marks Cal’s final year at NWSS (at least in the Junior category) and he says growing up in Gill, Colorado, and coming to this event for half of his life, it feels like home.
“My favorite part is showing, but just walking around the Stock Show, you don’t get anywhere fast,” Cal said. “You always see somebody you know, or someone you’re friends with; I love the camaraderie.”
The lessons Cal has learned from these past nine years are invaluable as well.
“4H teaches you so much,” Cal said. “The importance of responsibility and hard work; it’s something that’s hard to grasp until you’ve shown before. The Stock Show does such a good job of making a good exhibitor experience.”
4Rivers would like to extend a huge thanks to Cal and his family for being a part of his journey, as well as a hearty congratulations on an amazing show!
