Ag Time With Abby

Cattlemen’s Member Spotlight: Casey Wingate.

- Abby Crawford

What a Sweetheart! Manatee County native Casey Wingate gets to wear that title for the next year as she represents the Florida Cattlemen’s Association as Sweetheart.

Growing up, you can say Casey was literally raised in a barn — a show barn at that. Her older sister is who started the love for cattle in her family, showing at different fairs across the state of Florida. Today, the Wingates now have about 40 head of purebred cattle on their land that are shown by Casey and her brother. As soon as Casey turned 8 years old she became a paid member of the Junior Florida Cattlemen’s Association. What she didn’t know then was the impact that membership would soon have on her life.

Fast forward to high school and Casey was serving on the Board of Directors and soon held the position as president her senior year. High school is a time for lots of goal setting and future planning, and Casey didn’t take that task lightly. She got her planner and started writing them down. She took notice in role models around her and found a common denominator — Cattlemen’s Sweetheart. She loved the idea of someone advocating for the industry she was so passionate for. So she set her sights on her goal and worked to achieve it.