Ft Worth.

[chambero]

Apart from the fact he had the best calf there, any of you that have ever been around Cuatro knows he is a real good kid.  I dont know him well, but we were tied across from him two years ago at Houston and figured out real quick he is a real good kid.  From observing Mr. Potts over the last few years, he is a real hard working guy that has workec his way up through the ranks, but he's not really part of what I'd consider the bad crowd at all.  He's one of the few I'd consider letting my boys be around.  Politics had nothing to do with this one.

 

[fed_champions]

I havent seen a single show that someone didnt bring up politics in the aftermath, I guess its human nature to make excuses for getting beat but come on, this steer was dang good, he had holes, but ive never seen one that didn't. As for the shorthorn, I thought he was very small and looking at him in person, u could really tell his age. He was starting to mature through his head, neck and shoulder, still he was a very nice calf for a "midget". Show stopper: Travis Otterstadt is not some boy from Oklahoma, he's one of the main guys up at Bonham North and has been for years. As far as the Angus goes, i agree with DCC, its not cheating, its competing, its not gonna change, so live with it. I heard the reason they don't do DNA anymore, because back in the 80s there was a maine bull (dont remember the name) but he would test as an angus, and some people figured this out and won the breed several years in a row. And the reason the kid in the green shirt wasnt in the hunt, class 9 and 10 are the only ones who really  fit the ideal weight range for a grand champion, the others are either too small for ideal market weight, or too large to "fit in the box".

 

[Telos]

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/02/04/3712229/top-steer-goes-for-record-230000.html?video=true

 

[JSchroeder]

Ouch! Branding a cheek? Why not just take possession of the winning animals and take them to slaughter by officials to make sure they do not re-enter the show circuit?

I guess with the DNA and nose print tracking they do now, it's not 100% necessary to brand but it's as much a tradition as anything at the Texas majors.  Making the sale is typically referred to as branding.

At one time they all branded on the cheek but San Antonio and Houston have switched the much smaller brands on the hindquarter.  Fort Worth could easily switch to branding on the hind quarter but I doubt they would it because it would make it look like they're following Houston's lead on something and, well, heaven forbid...

 

[Telos]

I really like this Grand. Nothing extreme but really well balanced and appears he has some functionality from a standpoint that if he was born a heifer it might also have some usefulness in a breeding program. Just appears practical, IMO.

 

[twistedhshowstock]

I think the biggest problem with DNA would be in this instance it wouldnt be completely accurate either.  When they do a DNA sequence on an animal there isnt an Angus gene, or Shorthorn gene, or Maine gene, etc, etc. That pops up and proves their breed.  They DNA their parentage.  So say I had an "Angus" steer.  You DNA him and both his parents have papers, but whose to say his daddy wasnt half maine, or a cross somebody got papers on? Now you have to DNA verify him.  The DNA game is not locked tight.  Also for DNA to work you not only have to have DNA on the steer, but DNA on the parents as well.  It all gets very time consuming and very EXPENSIVE if you start playing that game.
I agree I have seen some animals that I thought were pretty obviously not pure get classed, and some that I thought pretty obviously were pure not get classed.  Are there politics involved in showing? Absolutely.  But its the name of the game.  I am not saying that I like it, or that any of you should. But its nothing new and its not going to change, mostly because on show day its one mans opinion. Not like you can file a complaint and prove you had the better calf in that judges opinion.  So why everytime some kid that isnt yours or ours do we have to immediately start yelling politics simply because your favorite didnt win.  If they were paying for your opinion that day, your favorite would have won and somebody else would be yelling politics.  So I agree the blaming everything on politics needs has gotten out of control, and really it only cheapens the accomplishment and work that these kids put into these projects.  As was said on here earlier Cuatro is a great kid and puts a lot of effort into his projects, and Adam Potts has put his time in and worked his way up to moving some great cattle.  About as honest as they come yet some would say they only won it because of politics.  I beg to differ I think they won it by finding a great calf and working their hind ends off with it, and they took him in on show day looking the best he could.

If you dont like the politics and classing and all you can do is moan about it, then get out of showing and take up any other hobby where your success on competition day isnt based on one mans opinion.

 

[Bradenh]

Show stopper: Travis Otterstadt is not some boy from Oklahoma, he's one of the main guys up at Bonham North and has been for years.

I was trying to clarify that it wasn't by brandon horn or anyone else in Texas, thank you for that tidbit, , and what yall are saying about the classing thing is like saying "if you don't like the gas prices, buy a bike", , all we were saying was pointing out things we wish we could change (one good thing about a discussion board).... another thing about it is that if all think it is so great, you don't have to read anyone's thoughts about it, you can keep scrolling down the page and live with it

 

[JSchroeder]

Nobody is forced to class, they can all be shown exotic/aob at any of the majors.  It's only when you decide to play the breed steer game that it comes into play.

 

[WJ Farms]

Ouch! Branding a cheek? Why not just take possession of the winning animals and take them to slaughter by officials to make sure they do not re-enter the show circuit?

I guess with the DNA and nose print tracking they do now, it's not 100% necessary to brand but it's as much a tradition as anything at the Texas majors.  Making the sale is typically referred to as branding.

At one time they all branded on the cheek but San Antonio and Houston have switched the much smaller brands on the hindquarter.  Fort Worth could easily switch to branding on the hind quarter but I doubt they would it because it would make it look like they're following Houston's lead on something and, well, heaven forbid...

No Fort Worth won't ever switch to branding the hindquarter cause it's a haired show and it would be stupid cause it would be a pain in the ass to try and brand through all that hair cause them steers have a lot of hair  so you just put in on their cheek cause there is less hair there and it's nice and simple!!!!

 

[twistedhshowstock]

I understand what you are saying show stopper, and we would all like to see improvements and more consistency in the system.  My comments were not geared toward you, your a big boy and go in there and take the cards like they are dealt, if you get the winning hand your happy, but if they dont come out in your favor you go home and come back another day.  My comments however were dealt towards those people that as soon as their favorites dont win start blaming the classing game or the politics.  And all they do is constantly moan and groan about it, sure there are days that all of us hate the system, but you have to deal with it.

 

[JSchroeder]

Wj, there's really not much hair ar all where sa and houston brand as long as you switch to a much more reasonably sized brand.

 

[sj0515]

One question. After a calf is sifted out of the breed does it get a early release or do they have to stay thru out the whole show?

 

[chambero]

I understand what Mike was saying about the angus sift - and its somewhat unique to the angus deal - if you take a true purebred Hereford or a true purebred Brahman, Brangus etc , you are almost certainly going to get in. I swear I can get a halfblood Maine in easier than i can a purebred Angus.  Dont know the solution though.

 

[Mainevent]

Thoughts on the American champion? I thought he was super good, big boned, topped, hip. Just thought he was a good calf. Any other thoughts?

 

[Texas Dude]

Sj. You have to stay all week. No release til Friday.

 

[kobo_ranch]

They were able to predict which calf was going to win the show because they pay attention to the jackpots and that yellow calf has been killing it.
[/quote]

Did I say it was political?  (though don't tell me it isn't at times)  The predictions I heard just seemed coincidental to me out of so many awesome cattle.  I was mainly asking about that other black steer... read my post again Jeff instead of looking up a old post from 2 years ago!  Jeeze man I thought it was us women who never forgot anything!... ( though I stand by my statement that I didn't much care for Shackelford at SA) 

I actually watched most all those exotic classes at Ft Worth I was sitting in the stands and agreed with most all the selections the Judge made.  (I actually
picked the top three in most of the classes myself before the judge did the lineup)  I never pretend to know everything or go to every show... but I didnt trip off the trailer yesterday either.    Our youngest son showed cattle for just 2 years but we did manage to make a sale slot last year at Houston (exotic class) plus showed a Champion Heifer (both of them ranch raised by us no steer jock or embryo transplanted calf).  NOT that there is anything wrong with that...

Chambero I did hear that kid that won and his family are very deserving and hard working.  That's great... did you know anything though about that black steer?  (Khaki pants green shirt kid showed?  I don't know anything about that one?  I was just curious of what some of you thought of that one...

 

[cowboybecoachin]

Chambero, I  said nothing about cheating. And, I love the competition.

I even stated, I wish to get as good at the game as those that get exotics in the Angus class consistently.

Whoever said that Angus do not have that big old square butt like a Maine should have seen our Lutton calf. The biggest butted full-blood Angus I have ever raised. Which may be why he was kicked out.

Sure, there is politics invloved, sometimes. Not in this case, or the champ (GREAT STEER!). Just makes me wanna work harder.

 

[Bradenh]

Rhett bain had the black calf you are talking about kobo, , he was really good and I watched him show, , not much wrong with him at all!, ideal top placing calf at ft worth

 

[chambero]

Chambero, I  said nothing about cheating. And, I love the competition.

Mike - I never thought you did and didn't think you were "whining" as some of the follow-up posts alluded to.  I was agreeing with you.  Angus are the one breed where you can have a really hard time getting a true one in. That being said, it is hard on the sifters trying to figure it out.  I wonder how much exposure the pool of sifters have to real Angus cattle?

 

[JSchroeder]

Jeeze man I thought it was us women who never forgot anything!..

For the record, I didn’t remember it was you.  I saw your “hum” comment and thought to myself that some idiot said something similar about Shackelford’s Charolais a few years ago.  I go look it up and in that thread, it wasn’t you who said it, you just said that somebody predicting the champion was proof that it was politics.

So for you to sit here and claim that you weren’t saying it was political and that it “just seemed coindicental” when you’re on the record saying that somebody predicting the champion “rests the case” for you about it being political is a bit sad.

(though I stand by my statement that I didn't much care for Shackelford at SA)

That’s very interesting to hear because in the actual thread on the subject you specifically said “No I didn't see them” regarding the grand and reserve that year.  When did you go see him after he was sent to the packer?

http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/index.php?topic=16401.msg175282#msg175282