American Royal Steer Show

[Tallcool1]

We are taking a couple steers to the American Royal this week.

We have never been to this show.

Any pointers or tips anyone can offer would be appreciated.  I want to know about that facility, not the beat down that we are likely going to take in the actual steer show!  We know that we are taking a knife to a gun fight, but we want to go.

Thanks

 

[WT]

I'm no help but I love the attitude. I can't tell you how many times we've gone to a show knowing we were going to get our butt kicked and had a blast! Good luck in KC!!

 

[faycopa]

Good Luck.
Taking that red steer ?

 

[Cyfarmer]

I was also wondering as well, as we will be bringing a couple heifers for the Angus Division.
We have never been there either.
Do we need generators?
Lots of extension cords, or just a little?
Stall Dividers?
Can fans be screwed to the wall(Sullivan hanger post)?
We will probably pack heavy, and leave in trailer if we don't need I guess - just hated to bounce it 6 hrs one way if we didn't need it.

 

[Tallcool1]

Yes, we took the red steer and a black steer as well.

Red steer stood 4th in Class 3, which is really good considering he is being fed for Denver.

Black steer was 7th, and I was disappointed in that one.

Facility was actually good.  Plenty of electricity.  Basically, the only thing that the show officials seemed to really care about was no tents in the tie outs, and no exercising calves in the actual show ring.  Other than that, we could kind of do whatever we wanted.

 

[faycopa]

Which class was black steer in ?

 

[Gargan]

What did you think of champ and reserve? (pop)

 

[Jive Turkey]

Who raised the Grady calf?

 

[Tallcool1]

Our black steer was in Class 5.

Luke Doris raised the Reserve Champion, I am not sure who raised the Champion Grady steer.

Champion steer was pretty darn good.  I am not saying that he would have been my choice, but I can certainly see how someone could have liked that one pretty well.

Reserve Champion steer......that is a head shaker.  I really don't understand how that steer is even in the mix when looking at the Champion.  To be honest, I felt like the judge (Joel Cowley) was all over the board.  He picked color color color...all day long.  This one isn't sound enough...but apparently this one doesn't need to be.  That class is all about carcass merit...except for this steer in which case it doesn't seem to matter.  There were cattle in the various Division drives that just plain and simple were not sound enough for me.  Popping pasterns were pretty much the normal in the Division 1 drive, although I really liked the Division 1 Champion.

Don't get me wrong, the Reserve steer was much better than anything we have or will ever show.  However, I felt like there were 15 steers there that I liked better. 

Class 7 was brutal.  Bonham wins the class, followed by Horn and a white steer that couldn't carry more meat than he had in him....couldn't move very well, but powerful.  Line goes 3rd with what I would say is the best fat steer I have ever seen in my life, followed by Suhr in 4th with a seriously powerful and good moving one. 

I would have probably gone Line Champion followed by Suhr for reserve. 

There are photos on Matt Lautner Cattle and the Pulse if anyone wants to see various angles of the Reserve steer.  See for yourself.  One thing about the Bonham crew, they seem to be able to get these things over the finish line. 

Toughest steer show I have ever seen.  There were just no "bad" cattle there.  It kinda made my head hurt!!

 

[Gargan]

Did he fault the Line steer any way? I saw the pics of the champ and reserve. The reserve looked really cool from the side but didn't look to have much power in the rear or over his top in the pic I saw from behind. That's why I asked the question. Thanks for the response (thumbsup)

 

[Tallcool1]

Did he fault the Line steer any way? I saw the pics of the champ and reserve. The reserve looked really cool from the side but didn't look to have much power in the rear or over his top in the pic I saw from behind. That's why I asked the question. Thanks for the response (thumbsup)

I won't even pretend on this Gargan, I went back to the stall as soon as I saw him park that steer in the 3 hole...so I didn't listen to him talk that class. 

There were steers there with more power from behind than the Line steer, but as far as balance between pretty and powerful...he was the one.  That steer was plenty stout from behind in my mind. 

I heard rumor that several of those things are headed for Louisville, and if that is the case then I would say that will be one heck of a steer show as well.  I would guess the Line steer will be one of those.

You are welcome.  Thanks for asking.

 

[Tallcool1]

I just saw an "Updated Breeder and Sire" post on Matt Lautner Cattle.

Champion Steer and the American Royal

Raised by Jared and Jeff Sedlacek of Tripp South Dakota

Sired by I-80 or I-80 Son.

Interesting...

 

[Medium Rare]

 

[Jive Turkey]

Interesting...

Why?

 

[shortyjock89]

Tallcool, you're not the only person who has said the Line steer is the best one they've seen. I know they were excited about him but didn't know if he'd be stout enough to win a major. Kinda disappointing when one that good doesn't even get a sniff.

 

[Tallcool1]

Interesting...

Why?

Why...because as far as I can recall, that steer would be the first I-80 to ever win a Major.

I could be wrong, but don't recall an I-80 ever winning at this level.

 

[Tallcool1]

Tallcool, you're not the only person who has said the Line steer is the best one they've seen. I know they were excited about him but didn't know if he'd be stout enough to win a major. Kinda disappointing when one that good doesn't even get a sniff.

Tim Burke bred that steer, and saw him a couple days before he left for Kansas City.  He told me that steer was far and away the best steer he has ever had anything to do with.

I asked about the steers his kids showed (Reserve at KC, Champion at Louisville, Denver Divisions, Champion at Aksarben, Reserve State Fairs, plus all of the Divisions everywhere else), and he said none of them were even close to what that Line steer is.

Maybe he will get along in Louisville if that is where they are going with him.

 

[DLD]

Reserve Champion steer......that is a head shaker.  I really don't understand how that steer is even in the mix when looking at the Champion.  To be honest, I felt like the judge (Joel Cowley) was all over the board.  He picked color color color...all day long.  This one isn't sound enough...but apparently this one doesn't need to be.  That class is all about carcass merit...except for this steer in which case it doesn't seem to matter.  There were cattle in the various Division drives that just plain and simple were not sound enough for me.  Popping pasterns were pretty much the normal in the Division 1 drive, although I really liked the Division 1 Champion.

Don't get me wrong, the Reserve steer was much better than anything we have or will ever show.  However, I felt like there were 15 steers there that I liked better. 

Class 7 was brutal.  Bonham wins the class, followed by Horn and a white steer that couldn't carry more meat than he had in him....couldn't move very well, but powerful.  Line goes 3rd with what I would say is the best fat steer I have ever seen in my life, followed by Suhr in 4th with a seriously powerful and good moving one

Sounds familiar.  He was all over the place at Tulsa as well.  Good with the kids, sounded good on the mic (even if what he said sometimes didn’t make much sense), but impossible to follow.

We were entered in KC, and had every intention of going if we didn’t make the sale at Tulsa (before we knew he was judging both) - we knew we wouldn’t do great at KC either, just wanted to go, but after he’d crucified him once, we couldn’t see doing it again.

 

[Gargan]

Interesting...

Why?

I think it's interesting because he was sold as a monopoly steer . Would the Grady family have paid x amount of$ for an i80 or i80 grandson ? Also Interesting that the truth came out about the sire of the steer, after the breeder was tracked down ( which is seldom disclosed by some well known steer traders).