County Fair, Hair vs Slick

[Dixie]

Dori,
The show was in Mecosta County (Mid-Michigan), and it was not a slick show. Unfortunately, most of the kids that were competitive have gone beyond the 4-H years. At this point there was only one young man left who might try and be competitive (this year he had a lick steer with no hair to speak of) and he will be too old this next year. It is sad to me that none of these kids want to put any effort into their animals, most of them are therefor the check at the end. Needless to say, alot of them have already said that they won't be back next year due to rising feed costs. We do not have a cooler to keep the calves in, he genetically had alot of hair and we had our son in the barn rinsing and using the roto brush daily.

IMO the kids are there to learn responsibility for the animal, economics of raising livestock and to become better producers than those who proceded them and of course to have FUN doing it. This goes for any type of livestock project.

 

[Jill]

IMO the kids are there to learn responsibility for the animal, economics of raising livestock and to become better producers than those who proceded them and of course to have FUN doing it. This goes for any type of livestock project.

This is what all 4-H projects should be about, IMO, don't worry about the judge, it sounds like you have your son on the right track.

 

[BIGTEX]

IMO, sometimes judges get tired of seeing so many calves professionally fitted. These are the same kids that have people at their farms walking, rinsing, brushing and feeding their animals. Basically doing everything but leading them in the ring. It's a shame that the kids that do a good job and worked hard get lumped in the same group.

 

[frostback]

I am not calling your opinion out BIGTEX but I hate that excuse for county fairs. I think that most county fairs are family and 4-H members only fit. We have talked about that before, so what constitutes a professional? I used to be a fitter years ago. I got paid to take other peoples cattle to shows. Am I a professanal? I know other parents that went to clinics, some with others without their kids. Are they professionals? Should they be excluded from helping their kids because they are considered pros? I think a judge should just judge the cattle by what they see that day and not assume about what is happening back in the barn or even on the farm before. Some cattle just have more hair than others and they should not assume the parents have spent more than the neighbours on a cool room. The playing field of showing cattle will never be level and we should quit trying to make it that way. There are always one person happy with how the show went and a lot of losers, but people could take away small wins from every show if they chose to look for them.

 

[BIGTEX]

Frostback, I agree totally. Judges should pick the best animal regardless of hair. Wouldn't it be great if they would have a carcass contest after the show. It sure would make people more accountable. As people have stated above. At my county show a girl about 11 had a steer, she tried to lead him in but he kept bolting. Back to the fitter. At first I thought it was her Dad, but it was a paid fitter. She won her breed with the fitter at the halter as she stood next to him. Same thing for overall, he broke a few times, back to the fitter so he led it back into the ring with the girl by his side, and won the show. It does happen even at the county level. The steer was protested and removed from the sale.  I agree that judges shouldn't assume anything. We all know what happens when we assume.