Going to Ft. Worth

[sawboss]

Knabe, at Fort Worth there is not a sift for the European class you simply declare.  It is full of Chi's, Maine's, Simmi's, Charolais, even had some Shorthorn crosses that had to much exoctic blood to meet breed characteristics of the "Purebred Class".  There are 4 lightweight classes, 4 medium and 4 heavyweights and these are full of the top bred clubby calves from across the nation.  For example the 3rd class lights (we were in) broke from 1056 lbs. - 1080 lbs., we weighed in at 1076 lbs.  You made mention of how big one looked next to us, that is also a cull.  The ones pulled appear to be 150 lbs. heavier than the culls, but are not.  One of the lessons we learned.

 

[showsteerdlux]

Wow that shorthorn looked pretty impressive. I'm suprised that he didn't make the cut.

 

[sawboss]

Thanks, our Ag. Teacher said it was the strongest overall class of Shorties he has ever seen.  I read here that all of the great Shorthorns end up in Texas, well I don't know about all of them, but there definitely plenty of them that found their way down here.

 

[showsteerdlux]

Boy I'd say. If he got beat I'd hate to see the calves that did get in, let alone the ones in the heavier classes.

 

[sawboss]

Grand and Reserve came from the same class.  Class 9, which was the lightest in the heavyweight division.  Don't know who owned them, but i am sure they are thrilled.  By the way both had black hides.

 

[Jill]

Do they have a weigh back?  That would explain the 150 pound difference if they don't.

 

[sawboss]

They have a weigh back that is 5%, there is not 150 lbs. difference it is just an optical illusion.

 

[j3cattleco]

There might not be a 150 pounds of difference but there might be close to it.  In the class that sawboss was in the heaviest cattle were 1080 so a 5% weight back means that they could not weigh over 1134 when they walked through the ring.  Now that's how much they weigh in class but not at home.  If they fill them full of hay and electrolytes and limit water that animal might weigh close to 1200 at home or even more.  And these cattle will look to be a lot larger in class that those that "actually" only weigh 1050 in the ring full of water.  The weight game is huge in weigh back shows. 

 

[knabe]

we did that all the time 25 years ago, so i guess nothing's changed.  one steer, my 1/2 chi steer, weighed 1535 at home and if i remember correctly he was just under 1350 at the fair.  his skin on his belly was so wavy it looked like homer simpson after he got out of the sauna.

i guess it's still sad.  they should have a few more scales sitting around and get over this foolishness and weigh them all as they enter the ring.

it's like watching the biggest loser and that one guy gaining all that weight when he had immunity so he could lose it again.  i think he eventually won.

sad.  of course there's probably a counterpoint.

 

[sawboss]

We left weighing 1165 lbs. weighed in at 1076 lb and enterd the ring for show weighing 1126.

 

[Telos]

Sawboss- Sorry I did not get to meet you today, but went to the show and staid only a short time.
I watched the class of steers that eventually went on to be grand and reserve. It was an awesome class of steers that was extremely deep in quality. Thought Judge Callahan did a nice job sorting through the calves with a very logical approach. If I remember correctly Callahan knit picked the grand as being a little cut up in the flank, but he was awesome when it came to total muscle and rib dimension on a sound structure. The reserve looked nice too and not a heck of a lot of difference. The show in general was full of powerful calves with a lot of muscle and capacity. I was humbled to see such a deep set from top to bottom.

 

[renegade]

I wish i could go and see these kinds of shows or just see pictures of them (but in real life would be even better--- my expression ). I think it would be awesome to see all of those calves.

 

[showsteerdlux]

Who won overall grand and reserve?

 

[NHR]

I went a few years ago to see what kind of calf I would need to compete. Well I still have not found the calf that I would carry to Ft Worth. The steers are just incredible that go to Ft Worth.

 

[kimbaljd]

What are the steers like in Houston? Are they as of good of caliber?

 

[shorthorns r us]

Grand - Mallory Newsom, Brownfield
Reserve - Hayes Hall, Anson

 

[Telos]

You can go to the Star-Telegram.com site and find videos of the FWSS to see the selection of the grand steer.

 

[showsteerdlux]

Anyone know which weight class they came from and what the weights at home probably were?

 

[KDSC]

http://www.startelegramvideo.com/StockShow2008/videos.html

 

[shorthorns r us]

grand steer brought $180k or $185k.