Final Sale and Fitting Tribute for 35-Year-Old Who Died Suddenly During Minnesota Cattle Show

Chad Schmit was a man with a mission. At 35-years-old, he had a passion for the farm,  with a knack for helping youth.

“He always had young kids out here and was trying to get more kids involved into the cattle area for showing and promoting it,” says Earl Schmit, Chad’s father who lives in Plainview, Minn.

Chad was a herdsman for a local dairy, while also raising his own beef cattle. People who knew Chad say showing cattle was his true love.

“A lot of people say you don't learn, you learn from your elders, but Inlearned a lot of cattle stuff and showing stuff from my younger brother,” says Jeremy Schmit, who’s Chad’s brother.  

Jeremy says his brother was someone people were just drawn to.

“My mom always called him her little social butterfly,” says Jeremey.

Nate Eversman, the local veterinarian, knew Chad both professionally and personally. He says any time he came across Chad, whether at the dairy or around town, Chad always loved talking about cattle.

“Chad had his own work to do. But if anybody asked him to do something, he'd find the time to do it. He was just a one-of-a-kind of guy,” says Eversman.

Anyone who knew Chad say he had a memorable laugh, and it was his chuckle that was his trademark. That laugh was a staple at the Minnesota Beef Expo each year.

“The Beef Expo was one thing Chad really looked forward to every year,” says Jeremy “It was like a vacation for him.”

And in October, as Chad was setting up for the Expo and getting the cattle ready for the show, Jeremey says others around Chad at the time say nothing was out of the norm.  

“I had texted him earlier in the day asking him if he got everything and if I needed to pick anything up in Rochester for adhesives or fitting materials. He said he already got it all, and I said, ‘Okay, I’ll see you either tomorrow or tonight when I get up there,’” remembers Jeremy.

But later that day, Jeremey had a text from a family friend, asking Jeremy to call him.

“He said, ‘Call me. I need to talk to you right away. Something happened to Chad,” says Jeremy. “So I call Matt and I'm like, ‘Well what's going on? And Matt told me Chad collapsed, and the ambulance just pulled into the cattle barn. He told me they're working on him.”

Without much information about what had happened, and not knowing where the ambulance was taking Chad, he started driving toward the Expo, and called their parents.

“To find out that he had passed before we got up there made the ride a lot harder,” remembers Earl.

The paramedics worked on Chad for nearly an hour, but with no heartbeat, they couldn’t revive him.

“One thing that we just took kind of as solace is he passed away doing what he loved. The beef expo was very youth exhibitor centric, and he died doing what he loved and not having to suffer in pain,” says Jeremy.

The Minnesota Beef Expo was where Chad felt at home, and it was those at Expo who wanted to do something to honor Chad.

“Tom and Joan Waldron made some calls to collect money and then to buy the heifer at the sale and then give her back so we could take her home. And I said, ‘No, that’s not what Chad would want.”

Instead, Jeremey knew exactly what Chad would have wanted. And over the next 24 hours, the Expo went on as usual, with a team of people helping get Chad’s heifer ready for the spotlight, and it was Jeremy who would then show Chad’s heifer in the ring.

“The show organizers were kind of worried about me showing and concerned if I’d be able to handle it,” says Jeremey. “But I just got myself composed well enough to know that Chad would want me to show her and got through the sale.”

The Final Sale 

And Jeremey did just that. He didn’t just make it through the sale, Chad’s heifer won Grand Champion during the 20th Annual Minnesota Beef Expo in October. And it was during the sale the Expo paid tribute to Chad in the most fitting way.

“The only thing constant in life has changed,” the announcer said as he started the sale. “Chad loved the youth. He loved breeding cattle and loved coming to the Minnesota Beef Expo.”

After that, everyone in the sale had a moment of silence to honor Chad.

“Let's let the Schmidt family know that we're behind them 110%. Let's give them a big hand of encouragement,” the sale announcers continued.

The sale started with a $5,000 bid, but as the sale took off, it was clear the Grand Champion Shorthorn was part of something special.  

“Sold! $10,500,” yelled the auctioneer.

And what happened next, was something that wasn’t planned in weeks or months. Less than 24 hours after Chad had died of what they think was a heart attack, the sale came with a twist.

“And this even gets better, folks,” announced the Expo lead.

The Minnesota Shorthorn Association, along with friends of Chad, pulled together the money to buy Chad’s heifer at the sale, only to give her away.

As the announcer said Leighton Hugoson's name, Leighton didn’t know what was going on. All he knew was that heifer is one the 14-year-old from Minnesota had his sights set on to take home from the start of Expo. 

“There was just something about her,” says Hugoson, remembering when he saw her at the show. “I liked the way she looked and how she set up and everything. And I felt like she had a special place in my heart, but I couldn't quite figure out why.”

As Leighton scaled the fence and entered the ring, what he didn't know was Jeremey had just searched through the applications of the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program (MYBEP) to find a youth that hadn’t been selected this year. And even though Leighton was heartbroken just seconds before when he got outbid on Chad’s heifer, Leighton would be the one taking her home.

“I'm with her every day for at least an hour. And she is just a favorite. She's so funny,” says Leighton.

Leighton wasn’t just any kid. When Jeremey was searching through the applications and ultimately picked Leighton’s name, he didn't know Leighton is the grandson of man from whom Chad purchased his first shorthorn.

“It was kind of a full circle coming together. We started our herd from his grandparents and now he gets to start his beef herd from us. It just basically brings everything full circle,” adds Jeremy. “So it was kind of an uplifting moment there knowing where the heifer was going. “

Destiny 

What may be even more profound is that Chad had named his heifer “Destiny.”

“When you're feeling down, she knows you're feeling down,” says Leighton. “Like if you're sad or something because she knows and she'll come over to you and she'll put her head on you.”

As the sale ended in October, the show organizers got choked up as the moment was overwhelming.

“This is great. This is fantastic. Like I said, Chad, I know you’re smiling down.”

What happened in October during the Minnesota Beef Expo is still fresh, but it’s helping give the Schmit family some peace.

“It was just a really humbling and unexpected just how within 24 hours what started out with a few phone calls, turned into this” says Jeremy.

“A special thanks for all the cattle people,” says Earl. “It's a great community, basically a large family when one's hurt, everyone comes in to help out.”

Chad died doing what he loved, surrounded by those who loved him.

“I don't know if Chad really understood or realized how appreciated and loved he was within the beef community,” says Jeremy. “And I pray he is watching down over the weekend after he had passed to see how respected and loved he was. Because I don't think he really knew how much people in our industry loved and appreciated him.”

“He was the type that would like to be remembered that he was trying to make the world a better place,” says Earl.

A story that came full circle, is one the Schmit’s will also cherish, as Chad’s family and friends work to put a scholarship fund together and keep Chad’s memory alive.