What the heck is a Turkey Shoot? Or 12 hours to Home with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

It’s our compilation of memories in life that form the culmination of our being.  Most of us have a lot to be thankful for, even though between politicians and the news it would be hard to imagine we have a lot to appreciate, nevertheless be thankful for.  As business leaders, we need to learn to “carry the flag” to demonstrate servant leadership to all those around us so it instills in our citizens a deep appreciation of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and our nation.

Personally, I remember the strangest things.  Today, as I was contemplating this idea of free enterprise and how enviable the world is of the concept, a couple of things kept popping into my thoughts; turkey shoots and the Mormon tabernacle choir.  Before you assume I have dropped my basket (some of you doubt the basket ever contained anything of value anyway), give me a chance to explain.

Some of you know that I managed a ranching operation in North Carolina for several years.  For whatever reason Louisville, the largest purebred cattle show in the world at the time, became an exceptional show for our ranch.  I am not sure what made it that way, the same cattle were typically at Kansas City and at Denver, but Louisville was where we really had some exceptional years.  Every year about a week before Thanksgiving we were in Louisville tearing up the tanbark (honestly the showring in Louisville is covered in green shavings) trying to win a cattle show.  While I have some tremendous memories of the big purple and gold banners from the show, my fondest memories are strangely about the 12-hour drive home.

First, for full disclosure I am not Mormon. Secondly, I have never participated in a Turkey Shoot. All I remember is laughing and laughing about stopping in West Virginia to ask what a Turkey Shoot was, all the while listening to Christmas music by the Mormon Tabernacle choir.  Maybe it was driving home after a major victory, maybe it was the company I was with or maybe it was the mind-numbing hum of pickup and trailer rolling down the interstate regardless it was a memory of a place and or people that for whatever silly reason still reminds me of things to be thankful for.  I think that’s the point, the things that are hardest to come by in the rest of the world are the small things in America.  Free Enterprise the freedom to travel and celebrate with friends.  Small things add up to a life to be thankful for.

What is a turkey shoot you ask (they are everywhere in the SE US by the way). Simply put, it’s a card shoot from 50 feet away.  Somehow, the thought of a turkey with a shotgun and the Mormon Tabernacle choir singing Christmas Carols gave us quite a laugh.  I recommend the Christmas songs by the way. Click Here for a sample.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all,

Dale