Gillian Matheson has wanted to be a veterinarian since she was little. Her kindergarten homework saying she wants to grow up to be just like her mom, who is a vet, proves just that.
Years later, she is on her way toward that goal, pursuing veterinary school and using her experience from high school FFA to run Strike Gold Show Cattle.
Matheson started the business almost two years ago. While she is based in Lithia, she’s traveled across the United States to help hundreds of farmers with artificial insemination services, professional fitting and clipping and private treaty calf sales.
“I want to be just like my mom as a veterinarian,” Matheson said, “[to] help take care of animals and save them.”
While this goal has been unwavering, what has changed is what kind of vet she wants to be. Since working with cattle, goats and horses, she’s set her sights on being a large-animal vet.
“I’ve been surrounded by animals my whole life, but I am a first-generation agriculturalist and a farmer,” she said.
Now, at age 19, Matheson is a student at Oklahoma State University, taking online classes while running Strike Gold Show Cattle.
She credits much of her business’ success to the skills she learned in FFA, which she started in seventh grade.
“FFA was a really big part of my life,” she said. “Something that I learned all my leadership skills from and everything that I did in FFA is something that I use in real life.”
Matheson said one of her focuses is helping mentor young farmers because of how her mentors guided her in her youth show cattle career.
“I love seeing them grow into more knowledgeable cattle people, and just them finding their own place in the industry and seeing them embrace it and find a passion for it,” she said.
Matheson said it was challenging to find her place in the industry, especially as a girl, but finding supportive people was key.
“We’re all inside the same fence, and so I’ve kind of taken that to heart through my business of trying to include everyone,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in show cattle, I will help you with whatever you need.”
For more information on Strike Gold Show Cattle, visit its Facebook page.
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