Show question of the week!?

[red]

Am going to try & post a question from someone about weekly, maybe more. This is from Knabe:
If anyone w/ experience in showing or judging can add something that would be great!

why do judges not ask for more competition during showmanship like asking presenters to walk out of line up, change animals, or do crazy things like they used to, or something to entertain the crowd a little more, and use it as a tool to allow the good showman how to perform?

 

[red]

Knabe- I've to some showmanship classes where the judge will really put the showers through their paces. Personally I like it when they asked the kids some questions to determine how much they know about their project or cattle in general. I think that in the breed junior shows you'll see a little more competition than in a jackpot show.
I really like it when the judge will have kids switch animals. That really shows how much they know about showing & also how their animal will behave for someone else. Other good questions have been what will you change or improve on your calf, what is their age, bloodlines or even how much do they eat?
A good judge can make it very informative & actually very entertaining. I also like it when they can take the time to explain to the kids what they didn't do correctly. If they could just pass a little tidbit to each shower that would be great!

Red

 

[Jill]

In my mind, showmanship is the only important class of the day, the only thing you can control in the showring is yourself.  I don't think it is needed in the younger age groups, but in the older ones I like to see them switch up animals, to me that is the only way to put every shower to the test.
I don't like questions, showmanship has nothing to do with the cattle business.  If you must ask questions when you have a close group, then make it about the project, these kids aren't cattle ranchers, they have a beef project, I don't mind them asking about feed, care, faults of the animal and that type of thing but don't really think it is necessary. 

 

[Clubcalfshowgirl]

Am going to try & post a question from someone about weekly, maybe more. This is from Knabe:
If anyone w/ experience in showing or judging can add something that would be great!

why do judges not ask for more competition during showmanship like asking presenters to walk out of line up, change animals, or do crazy things like they used to, or something to entertain the crowd a little more, and use it as a tool to allow the good showman how to perform?

Just to let you know down here in Florida. Some judges will make you change calves.I had a automatic heifer and i got put with a HUGE brahma bull. And they like to ask about where parts of the cow are or what we would like to correct on our calf. I'm not so much into answering questions and all excpet when its about my animal but i think its fun when u get to change animals.

 

[jason]

I also remember getting ask what they eat, habits, etc.  But, I never had to switch.  (thank goodness for the other kid, because my steers always a little streak of wild in the them)

 

[shortdawg]

clubcalfshowgirl, Are you all heading to the Lake City show Memorial Day Weekend ?

 

[Professor Plum]

Am going to try & post a question from someone about weekly, maybe more. This is from Knabe:
If anyone w/ experience in showing or judging can add something that would be great!

why do judges not ask for more competition during showmanship like asking presenters to walk out of line up, change animals, or do crazy things like they used to, or something to entertain the crowd a little more, and use it as a tool to allow the good showman how to perform?

I think a judge that has kids change animals in showmanship is asking for a train wreck, especially in the younger kids.  Back when I showed, this did seem to be more common.  I had a couple of heifers that were flat unshowable by any one but me.  Even my dad could barely handle them.  I don't think it was necessarily fair to my competitors that they had to try to lead those snides.

At our county round robin (multi-species), the kid that won dairy tried to show one of my (Angus) heifers walking backwards, and she head-butted him all the way around the ring.

 

[red]

(welcome) Professor  Plum!

I always enjoy the showman of showman contests or the round robin as you called it. Always funny watching some kids trying to show rabbits & then pigs!

Red (clapping)

 

[Showcalves]

For our county fair we encourage the judge to ask lots of questions.  Honestly, if they're enrolled in the beef project, they need to be learning about the beef industry.  Of course, we're kinda hard on that with our kids.  ;D  We encourage the judge to ask if heifers are bred, when they were bred, when they'll calve, to whom they're bred and why they chose that bull.  On steers the questions are more geared at feed, feed conversion and rate of gain.  They have also been asked about cuts of meat and degree of finish on not only their own calves but others as well.

I think a lot of judges get complaints from parents and kids alike if they ask them to change calves, unfortunately.  I personally think it's good for all involved.  We are toying with the idea of making our boys switch calves for a while.  I think it'll make the boys better showmen and make the heifers adjust too.  Both will make them show better.  All that said, I don't think making the little kids switch calves would be a very good idea.  Too many calves barely broken show at our fair and would be a danger to the kids.

Melinda

 

[farmboy]

I THINK CHANGING CALVES IS GOOD FOR THE JUNIORS AND SENIORS....MAYBE NOT THE OLDTIMERS (clapping)  (lol)

 

[jimmyski]

I have judged a few shows and in talking to many of my contemporaries, the reason that many of them do not have kids switch anymore is because of the amount of time it takes. I enjoy judging showmanship but sometimes shows have it scheduled for the end of the day and by then I know that I am pretty tired and the last thing I want to do is stand around for 2 more hours evaluating showmanship, but I try to still make them work.

I have done things like having kids switch calves, showing with out a showstick, as well as answering questions on the mic. I try to have as much fun with as I can cause it's supposed to be about the kids and them having fun as well. Most of the time the kids enjoy it as well if you can joke around with them and not take everything quite as serious. It's all about learning and if you can get them to have fun while learning most of the time it will stick with them better.

 

[red]

(welcome) Jimmyski!

Thank you so much for a judge's perspective on showmanship! Really appeciate it.

Thanks,
Red

 

[steers4u]

Showmanship is usually at the end or i the middle. If it is at the end for me two factors come into play. If it was a big show I and the kids are both getting
tired also I have already seen them show and know does a good job each time in the ring. So tell the kids showing each time in the ring is important. Just my suggestion (dog)

 

[Clubcalfshowgirl]

clubcalfshowgirl, Are you all heading to the Lake City show Memorial Day Weekend ?

No i am showing in Arcadia b/c i have a bull i'm taking to show reg. Maine Anjou bull. And plus theres 3 diff. people riding on one trailer and we all decided to go to Arcadia as it is only a one day show. I'm taking 2 steers maybe a heifer then that bull thats 1300lbs

 

[shortdawg]

We've been to the Starke Show a few times but this will be our first at Lake City. I hear it is a pretty big show. It's only a little over an hour from our place.

 

[Clubcalfshowgirl]

We've been to the Starke Show a few times but this will be our first at Lake City. I hear it is a pretty big show. It's only a little over an hour from our place.

Well i've never been able to show up there as we usually travel. I'm not sure how big it will be this year as there is a show going to be in Arcadia as well and they both allow collage students to enter and also they will have bulls in arcadia.Plus the lake city show would be 2-3 hours for me to haul and arcadia is only 1 1/2.

 

[shortdawg]

Good Luck!!!!!!

 

[DLD]

When I judge a show, I've usually got a pretty good idea who the top showmen are going to be before the showmanship contest rolls around - if I'm just judging showmanship, of course that's different. Very rarely is my mind changed by much during the showmanship classes, so the most important thing I can tell you is that I (and most other judges) remember the exhibitors who do a good job all day, and whose cattle look and act like they've had some attention. You can't act like you don't care in the show then come turn it on for showmanship and expect to win. I limit questions to age, weight, breeding status, and their individual feeding program - I agree that knowledge of the industry is important, but if that's the goal you need to have a quiz contest, not a showmanship contest. My showmanship winners will be the ones that get their cattle presented best, the ones I'd want showing my cattle when it's about the cattle.

I'm not big on switching calves for the same reasons others have mentioned - it can be asking for a train wreck, and it takes up alot of time. It's another thing that has never really changed my mind about who needs to win, so I only do it if show management insists.

 

[genes]

Most of my shows have gone to an all day showmanship anyway, which makes sense I guess.  At the bigger shows that are all one day, you wear a colored tag in your card harness during your regular classes, to show what age group you belong in.  Then they have someone watching just for showmanship and they pick, say 2 to 4 people out of each class (of around 10 usually) to qualify for showmanship.  The people who qualify come back in heats and work their way to the final, which is where the tricky stuff comes in.    This really helps to allow them to actually fit showmanship in teh day without making us stay til midnight.

At our final show, it has always been limited to the top two per age group from our club achievement days,  so time's not an issue.  But they decide to switch to an all day judging anyway.  Frustrating for me, that my steer was perfect and my heifer was a complete and utter brat, and made me lose getting champion.  Man she was frustrating. :



With regards to calf switching it's definitely something for seniors only, or maybe some older intermediates.  I think some people do it for appearances, but sometimes you can see a difference.  I guess if I were a judge I wouldn't use it a standard thing every time, but if I was stuck, might decide to pull it out.

 

[Clubcalfshowgirl]

Good Luck!!!!!!

Thanks we will see how the calves hold up against competion. My shorthorn i have changed feed on so that maybe he'll start eating better and right now hes not eating alot. My black steer has gottin really big and muscled soo there both getting a first haircut next weekend and then again right before the show. I'm sooooooo excited i'll have lots of pictures of the bull and the 2 steers to be able to show everyone.