Problems at County Fair

[earl]

Does anyone have the same problems.  We showed in the replacement heifer show at our county fair yesterday.  The judge got down to the last two heifers in the class one being my sons.  He then places my son first and other kid second.  He walks to the mike and a committee members stops him and talks.  He comes back and reverses the placing.  I ask the committee member later and he said he had to remind the judge it is a replacement heifer show not a show heifer show.  I heifer was a maine/simmy/brahman.  I heifer did have a little hair and my son pulled the legs and clipped them out.  I having a hard time understanding doing this to a kid who works his butt off to make his heifer look good.  The heifer that beat use was not groomed and was weak in he top and just not a nice heifer.  Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

 

[red]

wow! First what is a replacement heifer show? how do they differ from show heifers? wouldn't you still be looking at structure, spring of rib & depth? Grooming should still be factor because you want the animal to be displayed to look it's best.

Sounds like a political thing rather than show issue but wasn't there.

Red

 

[Dusty]

Does anyone have the same problems.  We showed in the replacement heifer show at our county fair yesterday.  The judge got down to the last two heifers in the class one being my sons.  He then places my son first and other kid second.  He walks to the mike and a committee members stops him and talks.  He comes back and reverses the placing.  I ask the committee member later and he said he had to remind the judge it is a replacement heifer show not a show heifer show.  I heifer was a maine/simmy/brahman.  I heifer did have a little hair and my son pulled the legs and clipped them out.  I having a hard time understanding doing this to a kid who works his butt off to make his heifer look good.  The heifer that beat use was not groomed and was weak in he top and just not a nice heifer.  Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

That is outrageous... If someone from the fair ever told a judge how to place a class and he did it, that judge would be worthless in my book.  A replacement heifer class???  Aren't breeding hefiers replacement heifers??? That is just stupid..

If that happened to me I just wouldn't show at the fair anymore.  Join a different county, or just don't show at the county fair.  Actually after an incident like that I would probably flip out and be banned from the county fair.  The fact that your fair even has a "replacement" heifer class that are not supposed to be show heifers is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of.  Next year you could bring the ugliest heifer you can find in the replacement class for no other reason than to make a mockery of it.

 

[red]

And he'd probalby be banned from the fair like those two girls painting "Drug Free" on their steers.

Red

 

[earl]

It just make me work harder and my son will be a senior next year.  I have made about 20 calls to friends looking for that special heifer.  The heifer that we showed went to about 6 shows before this and stood grand each time.  I ask to tell me the difference between a show heifer and a replacement heifer and they could not answer this.  Thanks for the support

 

[fluffer]

Man, that sucks!  I would be pretty upset too!

 

[shorthorns r us]

stop trying to be somebody and the local yocals won't resent you so much.

 

[BRdoc]

Any legit livestock show would never allow this to happen. NOBODY is allowed to talk to the judge during a show at our county events.
Main point is this...A heifer show SHOULD be judged for the most complete female that has the best potential to be a good Cow. I don't care what they call anything else (replacement, show...). The whole point of showing a heifer is to prove to that judge that he is looking at the best Cow prospect in the pen. just my opinion.

 

[shortyjock89]

stop trying to be somebody and the local yocals won't resent you so much.

Exactly. And ESPECIALLY don't win with something that you raise.  You will lose quite a few of those county fair "friends".

 

[oakbar]

Don't get me started guys!!  I can't even remember how many times I've had the discussion that Breeding animals should look feminine, sound, broody and all the things that make them good cows.    I know I'm an Iowegain, but anymore I have to get pretty damn close and possibly even do some inspection to figure out if an animal is a breeding heifer, market heifer, or steer.  You should really be able to tell from a distance if their male or female.  All you have to do is look at some of the show winners featured in the magazines(when they're pictured side by side) and you can tell if they are truly picking breeding females or following the clubby trends!!  Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent judges who know the difference, but there are also quite a few that don't---we've all seen short bodied, thick females that look like they'd finish out in a feedlot at 900# win a breeding class??  On top of it all, they probably weighed 15% of their finished weight at birth!!  It doesn't make sense!!  Just my opinion!!  How many people do you know that have had any success with these really clubby females as cows??

 

[TJ]

Talking to a judge during a show should be a no-no!!  However, people do it.  My wife even saw a woman (who was showing) attempt to flirt with a judge at a recent show, either during classes or in between shows!  Of course, I've seen revealing clothing, skin tight pants, etc., etc., etc.  The showring isn't always about the best animal & it certainly isn't always fair & many times it can be downright political. 

SRU & O.F.S. both nailed it!! 

Don't start winning & especially, don't start raising your own & start winning with them!  People wont like you as much if you do that.    Based on my experience, it doesn't matter if it's the County Fair or a National Breed Show.  ;-) 

 

[red]

I hate to say this but my daughter did flirt w/ a judge at our county fair. Needless to say I gave her heck about it. I was embarrassed for both of them.

Of course some girls that wear tight pants, low cut shirts & even stuff their bras are in another category!

Red

 

[TJ]

I hate to say this but my daughter did flirt w/ a judge at our county fair. Needless to say I gave her heck about it. I was embarrassed for both of them.

Of course some girls that wear tight pants, low cut shirts & even stuff their bras are in another category!

Red

Red, while you were posting, I was editing my post to include revealing clothing & tight pants, but I didn't mention the stuffed bras.  I'd forgotten about that trick! 

BTW, you mean to tell me that they do all that stuff in Ohio, too? 

I know it happens everywhere, but it doesn't seem to be quite as bad as it used to be, at least not around here or at our State Fair.  It used to be awful!!

 

[red]

a girl wore tight leather pants one year at our fair. A mom was bragging to me how her daughter stuffed her bra so the judge would give her a second look. Bragging actually! Can we give negative karma points in real life?
(clapping)
Red

 

[Bawndoh]

I hate to say this but my daughter did flirt w/ a judge at our county fair. Needless to say I gave her heck about it. I was embarrassed for both of them.

Of course some girls that wear tight pants, low cut shirts & even stuff their bras are in another category!

Red

LOL-the sad thing is, it works!

Yeah "politics" of showing is all the name of the game.  If you dont like it, then why show?  Even 4-H is getting to be a joke now-a-days.  So many kids whose parents do all the work, and the kids walk away with a smile.  Its sick!
On another note, I find it interesting when regular commercial men who have 40 cows (thats a small herd in Canada) go to big shows like Agribition.  They pay good money to drive to the show, pay for a hotel room, pay to get into the show, etc, etc.  Yet they b*tch every year that the show cattle are "useless and fat".  Why come to the show if that is all you have to say.  They also think that showring cattle and useful cattle are two different things, and that no animal who was shown can ever amount to anything.  I think we can all agree that in both types of cattle we look for the same qualities!
I also find it interesting that your boys heifer was basically docked because she was fit.  Why come to a show if you are not going to do any fitting whatsoever???
Grrrr

 

[jason]

That sounds pretty bush league to me.

 

[Show Dad]

a girl wore tight leather pants one year at our fair. A mom was bragging to me how her daughter stuffed her bra so the judge would give her a second look. Bragging actually! Can we give negative karma points in real life?
(clapping)
Red

Red - It's called a swift kick in the (lets say) teeth!

But of course that might win you friends but land you in the pokey! :'(

 

[cattlejunky]

Does anyone have the same problems.  We showed in the replacement heifer show at our county fair yesterday.  The judge got down to the last two heifers in the class one being my sons.  He then places my son first and other kid second.  He walks to the mike and a committee members stops him and talks.  He comes back and reverses the placing.  I ask the committee member later and he said he had to remind the judge it is a replacement heifer show not a show heifer show.  I heifer was a maine/simmy/brahman.  I heifer did have a little hair and my son pulled the legs and clipped them out.  I having a hard time understanding doing this to a kid who works his butt off to make his heifer look good.  The heifer that beat use was not groomed and was weak in he top and just not a nice heifer.  Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

Oh boy I get fired up on these kind of things!!!!!   Is there a rule that you are not suppose to fit?  What is the criteria for a replacment heifer class?  I agree with previous post all heifers are replacment heifers  (DUH).  We have some friends that show in another county and last year their heifer was selected as simmental champion, they handed the plaque to the dad and then the judge realized he did not pick the right kid on the halter and they came and took the plaque away.  Very similair to your sitiuation.  The Dad is very easy going, he gave it back but did not want to.  I would be like the girls that got kicked out for painting their steers.  I would have thrown such a fit I would be banned.  
I do not know what kind of recoarse you have, but I think I would talk to the Fair Board.  1. to rectify the situation and 2. to make sure the rules are clear so this does not happen again.

 

[knabe]

That sounds pretty bush league to me.

isn't that clinton league?  just kidding.

just went to the grand national and it isn't so grand anymore.  it was interesting that the angus had more pastern problems than the maine's.  totally amazing.  one heifer with the worst i've ever seen was buried dead last under two heifers that were so bad, they looked like they were starved.  judge was pretty good on soundness.  again, it was shocking how few could step in their tracks.

there was one long spined, short hipped heifer that was really strange looking.  had me fooled because she had so much volume. then i watcher her feet and she was a good 8-10" behind her front feet.  i wish i could see that when they are standing still.

 

[Dusty]

I hate to say this but my daughter did flirt w/ a judge at our county fair. Needless to say I gave her heck about it. I was embarrassed for both of them.

Of course some girls that wear tight pants, low cut shirts & even stuff their bras are in another category!

Red

I can honestly say that when I go to a cattle show I never even notice who is on the halter.  I only look at the cattle. ;-)