How is your county fair?

[SKF]

This week is our county fair and it has been a miserable week so far. Our county fair is being run this year by a group of people who hate show cattle and seem to have a issue with anyone who shows cattle outside of the county fair. Our fair has I think dumbest rules. The fair board members came unexpected and inspected everyone who was raising steers property to see that the steers were being keeped stalled up with no access to grass. If your animal had any access you recived a written warning and then they came back to see if you got rid of the grass if not you were out of the fair. They had a minum weight for the final weigh-in if your did not make weight you can not show your animal but you can sell it during the sale. They wanted all steers to have chain halters with two cotton ropes. We use a rope halter and double tie with a neck rope. They will not allow the kids to walk their steers with two ropes on and a second person no matter how well behaved your animal is. There is no were for these animals to run and get out if one got away. The hogs and steers are barned in the same barn.They are there for 10 day. The don't show until the eighth day. We use to bring heifers in for the first 3 days then they would go home and steers come in after heifers. This year heifer came in the first day and were not allowed in the barn at all. This is because most of the heifer kids do a lot of prospecting all year. Heifers were stuck out in the open horse arena with no shelter and went home that night after the show. They gave very little in the way of prizes for heifers. No purple ribbon, belt buckles or banners. They gave a chair and some cheap little trophies that did not even have anything to do with heifers. Well last night was the hog show they had so many prizes big ribbons, large trophies with  pig on it, belt buckles and ect... Of course when the heifers kids saw this they were upset. The reasoning they gave us is that heifer projects are not as important as a market animal project. They got a brahma judge for the heifer and steer show because as I was informed they don't want any club calves to win. I guess they must have been disappointed during the heifer show my son won grand with a "club calf" that we purchased from AAOK. To stop the kids from getting club calves the rules have been changed for next year that all calves have to be born and bred locally. We'll very few people in our county or surrounding county breed show cattle so the kids will have to get calves off of commercial ranches which means brahma. The kids have to be there all day from morning until night. They constantly threaten to kick us out over every little thing. 4H and FFA leaders are not aloud in the barn to help the kids. They have been told to stay out of the barn. Sorry  this is so long just venting and wanted to hear from others on how your county fairs are run.

 

[Doc]

  Well you're one up on my county because our fair replaced the hfr show with only a lamb show. But if our fair was run like that it wouldn't be a big loss. JMO

 

[Rocky Hill Simmental]

Those are some strange rules.  I've never seen a show like that. The grass thing is weird... So is the steers being underweight and not being able to be shown but you can sell them.

 

[afhm]

By grass are you referring to hay?  Also what county adn state are you in?

 

[Turkey Creek Ranch]

About the biggest thing that catches my attention from that statement is that Parents arent allowed in the barns. That is a bunch of crap (for lack of a better term)..county fair is a time when kids and parents can work together and have fun TOGETHER. Yes, the kids need to do some stuff, but it is just safer to have adults around the barn. That is ridiculous imo.

))

 

[cattlejunky]

Wow!  Those are the craziest rules I have ever heard of.  I think I would form a group of all Beef members upset with the rules and see what could be done.  Do you have an extension office to complain to?  If that did not do the trick I think I would be boycotting the fair and showing in open shows.  I have never heard of coming to someones house to make sure they have their calf stalled and that they have no access to grass. 

 

[minimoo38]

since cattle are ruminate animals, they have to have some type of grass, so i guess, how does that work?  ???

 

[KDSC]

WOW those are some dumb rules. If your steers doesnt make weight, you cant show it, but you can sale it now that is DUMB.

The ours is aniamls are there for 6 days, Monday weigh in, tuesday horse show, wednesday hog show , and beef show, and then thursday sheep and goat, Friday is the Round Robin and the sale (if you dont show the animal it dont sale, if it dont make weight it dont sale) and then Saturday you can take everything home. NO ONE in our county jackpots, except us. Our fair is a blow n go, just like our state fair. Sale prices are up there, last year we had one of the top 3 sales in Kansas. Beef sell for 4-6 dollars a pound no matter what, weather you get first or last. You can sell 2 animals, but they have to be of different species. Our 4-H and FFA show and sale together.  Steers  must weigh at least 1150, and heifers 1050, I think max weight to sale is 1500lbs but I am not sure.

 

[showsteerdlux]

Those are some pretty tough rules. I also think that the thing about not making weight but being able to sell is ridiculous. IMO if a calf doesnt make weight and this is a terminal show then they should have feedlots bid on the calves outside of the sale and send them on. Let the kids get sponsorship or something on that line but maybe not the high prices that the calves that made weight do. As far as no leaders or ag teachers I can see the benefit of that because there could be less heated arguments and such but for safety purposes parents should be allowed.

 

[renegade]

We havent had any problems with beef leaders argueing but they do get in and help clean stalls and stuff. That grass thing is absolutely ridiculous. We have to make weight to sell but you can still show the calf. I would not be showing at this fair i think if i got too bad. My parents wouldnt stand for someone just showing up and demanding to look at our animals. I would agree with cattle junky about boycotting but how much good would that do cause it kinda sounds like they are trying to run the beef program out.

It kinda sucks at our fair cause its sooo huge that we can only sale one animal and prices arent that great because there are so many. Also kids who dont really care about the project and are just in it for the money make our numbers go higher but it seems like they wind up getting higher prices  :-\.

 

[farmboy]

i wish our animals went for 4-6 buckes a lb, lol. we have usually around 40 steers every year and last year many sold for below market price, (sale price + market price; terminal sale), this year gonna be better because its election year, all the county politicans buy a bunch of stuff

 

[garybob]

Sounds like the local, prominent ranching families ( who probably are fair board members) don't like the competition their grand-children and childrens' home-raised calves face from "purchased" cattle. While I'll admit, I think most of the time (sorry, guys), I think a home-bred calf is a much-better "teaching tool" than an expensive Clubby-type calf, I think what's going on in your County is a little extreme.

Yup, don't Y'uns just love 'politics' at the local level?

Turn it into a positive, and either breed some common ear-cross cows ( that don't show too much ear-I know they're down there, for example an Angus/Brangus cow, a Braford, or good ol' GuertXHereford cow) to some "can't miss" show steer sires, or, buy some Non-ear cows, breed them to the same, lay low for a year, and come back with calves that fit the "born and bred" requirement.

I'm with Y'all on this one!

GB

 

[ba]

  I do not know where your lcated but it would be GAME ON if ti were me.
Get together buy a  short bred cow/heifer for the next year with recets
to prove ownership.Get together with other exibitors and start show
same day/ time  to clean things out for a year tolet thems eee waht it is
about.

  BA

 

[doubled]

Oh my goodness, how awful,,,,Im not sure where you are located but around here there would be an uprising!!!!Are you on the committee, the best way to make changes is to
oust the current beef committee members- Get enough people together to be on the beef committee that are more in tune with what should be going on, also check with the state
on the state 4-H rules, most of our states rules dictate how most of our show here is run, we have our own rules but the majority follow the state rules, also talk to your
state extension people on what the heck is going on there, Im not sure they can just shoot from the hip like that, we cant do that here to that much of a degree,
does  your cattle have to attend the county fair to be eligible for the state fair???? If not have your own show??? Or move to another county, you should be allowed to do that
as long as you attend the required 4-H meetings.  Just some suggestions. Good Luck to you.  Hang in there.

 

[simtal]

Yeah, I'm a newbee but, I would without hesitation find a new county fair!  The rules are ridiculous and go against sound science (grass rule) !  Why put up with these idiots?!  We were in a 4-h club in my hometown once that was worthless.  So, we found another 4-h club that was great for livestock and the like and it was great!

 

[kimbaljd]

Well problems like they are having make me feel a lot better. Our County Fair Is reported to be the largest county fair in Texas. We really have a great group of people down there working on their own time. Granted there are always little issues come up, but they all get settled. Myself geting a little long in the tooth, and my daughter is getting really excited about showing. I have just about talked myself into going down there and putting my time, muscle, and two cents worth in wherever needed.

 

[DLD]

Wow SKF, that is just unreal. Unless there's one heck of a premium sale, I believe we'd be skipping the county show if that were ours. There's so much about that that's just wrong, imo.

We have two county shows a year, one around the first of March (with a premium sale), and a fall fair in late August. At our spring show, only market animals are in the premium sale, but still awards for the show are the same for every division (duffle bags anyone?). In the spring, cattle have to be there by weigh in @ 5PM on Tuesday, and they show on Wednesday afternoon. They're free to go after they show, but most premium sale steers stay until the sale on Thursday evening (some steers, and pretty much all of the hogs (which show Monday evening) and sheep (which show Tuesday evening) go home and come back for the sale. In the fall, cattle have to be there by weigh in @ noon on Saturday, show at 5 PM and go home afterwards (again the same awards for every division - anybody need more duffle bags???)... I can't imagine staying for 10 days, especially with only the exhibitors allowed to care for them. Your show must be in the summer time - I can't imagine keeping kids out of school for that long. nowadays. Even if the exhibitors must care for the animals themselves, not allowing anyone else in the barn (especially for 10 days) is just absurd. Fair/ stockshows are in large part about presenting the kid's projects to the public, and letting other people get close to the livestock and helping them learn about them - what kind of impression does it leave with the public to not allow them in the barn? That's not to mention what others have said about it being a family project (also a huge part of the learning experience, imo).

The checking for grass part also makes absolutely no sense. I kinda understand the county bred thing, but in our county we have an additional set of awards for that. Does sound like awfully good incentive to do some AI'ing and raise a few of your own. Their rules do stink, but there's nothin' better than beatin folks like that at their own game.

 

[red]

very strange rules. They are going to have fun enforcing them.
Good 4-h clubs or FFA chapters are worth their weight in gold. Poor ones can destroy a kid quickly. A good one can build them up & teach them for the world.

Red

 

[ba]

Really do not understand what the reason for withholding grass,
  As far as them coming in to see if cattle are at home can you bio-security
Make them put on a clean pair of coveralls , wash boots with disinfectant
and put some of those plastic boot on for the heck of it

 

[reno1014]

That is kinda strange.  I wouldnt put much past a county show.  For years I defended the county show thing, but after this year
I too was treated like crud from an advisor whom I thought was great.  After taking up for him from other parents for years I
have now come to realize all the stuff was true.  I am very dissapointed, to say the least.  It is disheartening to hear these kinds
of things.  Makes you not want to put forth the effort you once did.  Good Luck to you, sounds like yall need some new voices
on your Livestock Board...ones whom arent allergic to cattle.