Crystal: Through cattle shows and my internship with the American Hereford Association I had known who Jon was, but our paths hadn’t crossed before. I actually thought he was a little arrogant. Later he proved me very wrong.
Jon: While watching the Hereford Bull Show in Denver at the National Western Stock Show, I had seen Crystal in the Angus ring shooting photos. Little did I know our paths would cross later that evening.
Crystal: Each year at Stock Show my friends, including Kristi Bishop, and I always get together Judging Team night at the Double Tree Hotel Bar. Kristi was also a very good friend of Jon’s and he decided to join in on the fun.
Jon: Before going to Denver my dad and I had talked about a new show I am Angus. He was very high on the show. I had never seen it, but I knew Crystal was involved with the show. As Crystal walked by our table that night I said, “Hey aren’t you the girl that works on I am Angus.” She responded yes, and I told her how great I thought it was even though she had no idea I had never seen the show.
Crystal: That is when Jon used his first pick up line ever and said, “Do you want to make I am Baldy?” I told him why don’t you have Craig Huffines (CEO of the Hereford Association) give me a call.
Jon: We continued talking that night and I bought many rounds of drinks for Crystal and her friends, and perhaps surrounding tables. Fun was had by all.
Crystal: Jon definitely peaked my interest that night. We spent sometime talking about Calf Fry, a country music concert that I traveled to Stillwater each year for, to hang out with Kristi. Jon had also been to it in the past and I told him I would make my famous Oklahoma shaped French Toast if he joined Kristi and I again this year. However, we went our separate ways without any phone numbers exchanged.
Fast forward a few weeks.
Crystal: I had been thinking about Jon a little more, and decided that I should do some background checks on him. I had a supper with Chris Stephens, past National Junior Hereford Director of Activities, in Manhattan a few weeks later and decided to ask him about Jon. I also sent emails to Jon and I’s mutual friends Kristi and Catie Sims. Their reaction was all very much the same to begin with – a little surprised. However, they all told me he was a great guy, with an awesome family, lots of fun and the more they thought about it the more they liked the idea.
Jon: Crystal was in Des Moines, Iowa, for a weekend with her girlfriends and had sent me a facebook message telling me I should meet up with the girls and her that night. I was in the race shop with Troy and Travis and was exchanging messages back and forth via Facebook with Crystal. They asked who I was talking to and I pulled up a picture of Crystal and said this is my future wife. I wasn’t able to make it to Des Moines that weekend though because of working on the race car and calves had to be clipped for Iowa Beef Expo, but I promised I would to go to Calf Fry in April.
Fast forward to April
Crystal: I was excited to be making my second trip to Calf Fry. Dana May was road tripping with me, and Kristi had offered her place to us again. I knew Jon would be also coming and Dana and I had talked a lot about my excitement of seeing him again.
Jon: Crystal and I had a great time at the concert. That night when we got back to Kristi’s house Crystal was giving me hell for having Herefords, so I showed her our latest sale catalog. After a while she agreed they weren’t terrible.
Crystal: And Jon got a kiss out of it.
Jon: Kristi yelled at me the next morning and said, “You better not screw this weekend up and make the house awkward for everyone.” I said, “This is a trailer, not a house.”
Crystal: Despite Kristi’s initial concerns the weekend went great, and when we went our separate ways I told Jon he could get my number from Kristi if he wanted it.
Jon: As Kristi drove me to the airport she said she could get Crystal’s number off her phone, I had informed her I had already done so that morning.
Crystal: Jon wasted no time called me that night, and we made plans for him to stop in St. Joseph on his way back from the Star Lake Sale in a couple weeks.
Fast forward to after the sale
Crystal: We had talked on the phone every night between Calf Fry and the sale, so I was very excited to see Jon again. When he got to my house he asked me if I was his girlfriend, I said yes, which was a good thing since I found out later Jon had already told people at the sale I was.
Jon: A little over a year later I asked Crystal to be my wife.
