Name: Ann Egan

Home State: Connecticut

Job Title and Employer: Owner with my husband Tim, of North Point Farm, L.L.C. (www.northpointfarm.com)

What do you do on a typical day at work: 

Tim gets up at 5:30 to feed, hay and muck stalls before he leaves for work.  I get up and get our 8 year old son Jack off to school.  I head to the barn at about 10:00 a.m. to check animals and let the horses out into the pastures.  I do paperwork or other barn chores depending upon the day.  At around 1 p.m., I muck stalls again and get all the feed and hay ready for the evening.  At 5:30 Tim stops by on his way home from work and lets the horses in for the night.  In the summer the schedule is different because the horses don't go out to pasture during the day (they are out at night when the bugs are not bad and there is no danger of the sun bleaching their coats). During the spring and summer we drive horses everyday so a considerable amount of time is spent harnessing, training and driving.  We start foaling mares out in January and that usually runs through May.  Foal watch is pretty much a 24 hour day job in and of itself.  I suppose that I would say that no two days are alike and so much depends upon the season as with most other farms.   

What is your favorite thing about owning a farm? 

Gosh, the views from the top of the mountain and the strength of our commitment to bettering the breed of the Percheron horse.  Farming is also something that we do as a family which is very important to us.

How did you get interested in breeding Percherons? 

My husband got us started several years ago.  He has been involved in cattle since he was a youngster and continues to have an interest in showing club calves.  I have really no interest in cattle beyond rooting for them at shows and reading Show Circuit Magazine.  We found that we both liked draft horses and, of all the breeds, Percherons seemed the most intelligent and we thought they were so eye appealing.  Breeding and showing our Percherons is definately a team effort!

What was your college major, and do you think that degree was crucial in helping you get to the career you are at right now?

I have three college degrees believe it or not.  I have a degree in journalism, one in human resource management and an MBA.   As for my degree being helpful in getting this "job", they were of no help conventually speaking. Having said that, having a degree enables you to think and solve problems.  It exposes you to many types of people.  You learn to be self sufficient.  It means you committed to something for 4 years and you saw it through to the end. These are all lessons that help you in any career you choose be it farming or something else.  

What advice would you have for someone who is searching for a college and trying to choose a degree? 

Find the best fit.  Pursue the career path that you love.  You'll be working for 50 years so it better be something you really like or better yet, something that gives you bliss.

Does someone’s college GPA have a big factor in whether you would hire them? 

Absolutely not.  We are more likely to hire barn help and select interns based upon experience, enthusiasm, a sense of responsibilty, common sense and character.  After we look at those qualities, we'll talk to you about your degree and GPA. 

If you could have any other dream job besides the one you have now, what would it be?

I would have been an attorney. 

Have you had any mentors who have helped you in your career? If so, who? Do you think mentors are important? 

Well, we have had a lot of help...you don't hitch these big horses competitively without it.  To name just one person as a mentor would mean leaving someone out so I won't go there.  I will say that I have long felt that one important aspect of sportsmanship is the ability to be helpful to others when the judge isn't looking. 

Who’s the person you go to “bounce ideas around with”? 

That is an easy question, my husband Tim.  He is the more level headed of the two of us and, I trust his judgment implicitly. 

Which of these would you rather be?

The judge of the 2010 Percheron Congress show, the breeder of the Grand Champion Percheron, the exhibitor of the Grand Champion Percheron, or the person who fit the Grand Champion Person? Why?  I would want to be the person who bred the horse, exhibited the horse and who fit the horse.  Luckily, we have had a fair amount of championships won by our mares and nothing beats the satisfaction of doing it all yourself. 

Did you grow up showing livestock? If so, what? 

I started showing dogs when I was 7 in junior showmanship and the breed ring.  I became a professional handler at 16, as soon as I could dive myself and my dogs to shows.  In my early 20's I became an AKC licensed judge.  Now, at 44, I am still chasing purple ribbons with horses.

Favorite Stock Show: The Ohio State Fair

Why? You are made to feel like a welcome guest.  I personally love that there are porters to help off load and reload the trailers.  The arena is large enough to show our animals well.  Everyone from the stable office to the porters to the show officials, even the ladies who provide free lunch to exhibitors daily are all so kind.  We have never had one request go unanswered.   The level of competition is always good and there is a spirit of cooperation among exhibitors.

You just won a free dinner at the best steakhouse in town and you get to invite 3 other people from the stock shows. Who would you take and why? 

I would take my husband and son for sure plus anyone who has helped get the animals ready that day.  Our "show team" is important and often overlooked since they are not the folks standing in the ring next to the horse with the blue ribbon and the banner.