best fitters

[cowman 52]

Going back a few years--LaRue Douglas,  Arlo Janssen,  Mel Long,  Sam Woody,  Kevin O'Bryan,  Richard Stotts,  Paul Trueblood,  Eldon Krebs,  when the work turned out was with a bar of saddle soap, a can or three of slick black, and more than one rice root brush  (lol)

 

[stangs13]

I would take the sullivan crew any day!! Or the group that does Charlie Wilsons heifers, including himself.

 

[JY]

Going back a few years--LaRue Douglas,  Arlo Janssen,  Mel Long,  Sam Woody,  Kevin O'Bryan,  Richard Stotts,  Paul Trueblood,  Eldon Krebs,  when the work turned out was with a bar of saddle soap, a can or three of slick black, and more than one rice root brush  (lol)

The best fitter that was in your era you are talking about was Lyle Miller. The first one to use little clippers of any kind, first person to comb hair forward instead of up with cow licks. Probably knows more about feeding show cattle and steers than anyone today.

 

[j3cattleco]

I think it's interesting that no one has mentioned the guys who get Kirk's steers ready, Jay Carr and Eric Drager and crew.  They dress them for Collins also.  They aren't too shabby.

Joshua

 

[stumpy]

good call j3, I Would also agree with the fitters of  yesteryear even if some folks don't see them in the forground today they are still there. I will add two names not yet mentioned individually, Deb Vorthman and Preston Graves, extremely good fitters that know cattle and that is the key to being good (that is where the yesteryear fitters stand out too). To rename young talents already mentioned, Jared Bedwell and Charlie Wilson are deadly hands as well.

 

[shortdawg]

He Stumpy ! Your animals look pretty well fit in the ring as well !

 

[stangs13]

good call j3, I Would also agree with the fitters of  yesteryear even if some folks don't see them in the forground today they are still there. I will add two names not yet mentioned individually, Deb Vorthman and Preston Graves, extremely good fitters that know cattle and that is the key to being good (that is where the yesteryear fitters stand out too). To rename young talents already mentioned, Jared Bedwell and Charlie Wilson are deadly hands as well.

I want to know when Charlie started with a pair of clippers...just a few years older than I am, but he seems to have a decade of experience with the clippers, and I can hold my own in a fitting crew of older guys now..yikes.

 

[Chap]

i would submit that fitting is merely the icing on the cake.  not hard with today's products when you have a superior clip job to start with.  That being said a few young guns that stand out to me are JR Spear, Chad Day, Tacy Goretska and Wade Rodgers.  I also think Dana Pruess from Pryor crew and Justin Speth do an awesome job.

 

[Jacka]

I know that I am going to show my age here but how about Duane Hilbert?  Remember he used to always draw quite a crowd when he was around with us, back in the day.

 

[shortdawg]

As for the ladies I think Tammy Gottschalk does a great job.

 

[MBB]

ya ya all those fitters could be good. Listen to to word GOOD! But if you want someone GREAT that competes in the toughest show steer state you need to hit up Colbie Collins, Jay Carr, breelyn Brookshyre,and team. You haven't seen great nor good until you have watched these men fit a steer!!!! 

 

[shortyjock89]

ya ya all those fitters could be good. Listen to to word GOOD! But if you want someone GREAT that competes in the toughest show steer state you need to hit up Colbie Collins, Jay Carr, breelyn Brookshyre,and team. You haven't seen great nor good until you have watched these men fit a steer!!!! 

I bet I can think of 5 crews that have fit way more national champs than those guys put together. Not saying they're not very good...but great is another word.

 

[afhm]

Wow! 4 pages and nobody mentioned the great Mark Copus and his crew.  There are many no-names out there as well that can fit as good and better than most of the more famous ones and there are a lot of the famous ones that are not anywhere near as good as they are hyped up to be.

 

[shortyjock89]

Wow! 4 pages and nobody mentioned the great Mark Copus and his crew.  There are many no-names out there as well that can fit as good and better than most of the more famous ones and there are a lot of the famous ones that are not anywhere near as good as they are hyped up to be.

I'd second all of that for sure.

 

[okshowmom]

Copus was who I first thought of

 

[DLD]

ya ya all those fitters could be good. Listen to to word GOOD! But if you want someone GREAT that competes in the toughest show steer state you need to hit up Colbie Collins, Jay Carr, breelyn Brookshyre,and team. You haven't seen great nor good until you have watched these men fit a steer!!!! 

I bet I can think of 5 crews that have fit way more national champs than those guys put together. Not saying they're not very good...but great is another word.

It's an apples and oranges kind of thing.  Until you've seen these guys (not just Collin's crew, but several others as well) fit steers in TX and OK, you'd better be careful about putting them in a different league than those that have fit national champions - there'll be 20 plus guys fitting steers at Fort Worth and Oklahoma City that can play with anybody, anywhere.  I've had the privilege of working with several of them, and I wouldn't think about trying to make a list for fear of leaving out someone.

 

[shortyjock89]

You're probably right. You guys have the steer down south maybe, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find better fitters on heifers than we have up north.

Edit: I was also told that I hadn't seen "good" until those guys, and that's mostly where I beg to differ.

 

[DLD]

Yeah, I see what you mean there Justin.  If I'd read that a little closer I might've understood what you were saying a little better.  I'm sure that wherever there are great show cattle there are great fitters - just had to throw in my two cents.

<beer>

 

[allaboutwho02]

I know that I am going to show my age here but how about Duane Hilbert?  Remember he used to always draw quite a crowd when he was around with us, back in the day.

  Your so right. In his day Duane Hilbert was the best there was. He forgot more then most will ever know. It wasnt all about making big cool legs in them days it was the complete package and he did it better them almost anyone.Some of the other great clippers/fitters like Copus, May, And steirwalt will tell you that. They all worked for him including Goretzka, Lindsey, and many others......  There are some good young fitters in this industry and alot of them can make a leg. But how many can feed one,clip,one, trim feet, and do the complete package? Thats what is all about anyway.

 

[shortyjock89]

Haha typical moron there! Collins fit n raised the reserve GRAND steer at ft.worth idiots! Please argue w an 18 year old girl! Haha spare me! Jus cz someone post something doesn't mean u have to argue! Get a better hobbie people!

You got me. Moron here.  Reserve Grand steer at Fort worth is pretty cool, if you're into that sort of thing. I bet I could never do it.