Broadwater High School Junior Selected for NILE Merit Heifer Program
Author: Sheree Beauchamp
Article Published: 09/18/2026 Volume: 5 Edition: 11Sheree Beauchamp
Broadwater County will have the opportunity to follow one of its own young cattle producers on a special journey over the coming year.
Cheyenne Douglas, a junior at Broadwater High School, has been selected to participate in the NILE Merit Heifer Program, an honor that will provide her with a quality breeding heifer while challenging her to further develop the skills and responsibility necessary to manage and build her own cattle herd.
The NILE Merit Heifer Program is often referred to as a “live animal scholarship.” Rather than receiving a traditional monetary scholarship, selected young agriculturalists are paired with generous cattle producers who donate a heifer to help them establish or improve their own breeding herd.
Cheyenne’s heifer is being generously donated by Kirby and Karmae Walborn of Walborn Cattle Company in Hardin, Montana. In a future installment, readers will get to meet the Walborns’ and Cheyenne’s new heifer when she officially receives her.
Being selected for the program is only the beginning.
Cheyenne is no stranger to agriculture or to the responsibility that comes with raising livestock. She is going into her ninth year of 4-H and is now in her third year of FFA, where she currently serves as president of her local chapter. Through both organizations, she has developed leadership skills and gained valuable hands-on experience with livestock that have helped shape both her cattle herd and her plans for the future.
Over the course of the NILE project, Cheyenne will be responsible for the care and management of her heifer. She will keep records, monitor her nutrition and health, work with her, have her bred, and learn firsthand about the decisions that go into developing a productive breeding female. The goal is for the heifer and, eventually, her offspring to become an important part of Cheyenne’s own cattle herd.
For Cheyenne, the experience has special meaning because working with animals is not simply something she enjoys today, it is part of what she hopes to do for the rest of her life.
After graduating from Broadwater High School, Cheyenne plans to continue her education with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. Her years in 4-H and FFA, along with raising and showing livestock, and now participating in the NILE Merit Heifer Program, are giving her practical experience that complements that dream. Caring for her NILE heifer will provide additional opportunities to learn about cattle health, nutrition, reproduction, genetics, and animal husbandry.
The program also teaches something that cannot always be learned in a classroom: responsibility. A breeding animal depends upon its owner every day, regardless of the weather, school schedule, or other commitments. Success is measured not simply by ribbons or awards, but by the health, development, and future productivity of the animal. For a young cattlewoman growing up in Broadwater County, it is an opportunity to learn while building something that could remain with her for many years.
The program also represents a tradition that is important to Montana agriculture, with established cattle producers investing in the next generation. Through their donation, Kirby and Karmae Walborn are giving Cheyenne much more than a heifer. They are providing an opportunity to introduce new genetics into her herd, gain valuable experience, and build something that could influence her cattle operation for generations to come.
Cheyenne is excited about what lies ahead and grateful for the opportunity she has been given through NILE and the generosity of the Walborn family.
This article is only the beginning of her story. Over the coming months, readers will have the opportunity to follow Cheyenne’s journey—from receiving her heifer from Kirby and Karmae Walborn of Walborn Cattle Company, to bringing her home to Broadwater County and completing the many responsibilities and milestones of the NILE Merit Heifer Program.
Along the way, we will meet the heifer that will become part of Cheyenne’s herd, learn more about the people who made this opportunity possible, and follow the daily work, challenges, accomplishments, and lessons that come with the project.
For Cheyenne, this is about much more than receiving a heifer. It is about building a herd, continuing a life already deeply rooted in agriculture, and gaining experience that will help carry her toward her dream of becoming a veterinarian.
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PhotoCredit: Sheree Beauchamp
Image 1 Caption: Cheyanne Douglas
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