Show Ring Bling????

[grand chaser09]

Being a girl who had shown for 13 years now I will say i wear a little bling in the ring. However my cattle do not. Even though I've had heifers that were "diva" enough to wear it. Right now I am arguing with my step sister on a halter she wants from her friend that has cow hide AND huge blinged out conchos on it. If she gets it and i see it on one of my claves i'm gonna rip her a new one. ;D

But as far as the bling I wear it's normally just a belt, a pair of earrings(normally my diamond studs or my rhinestone hoopsthat aren't big), and my silver slide with my sullivans steer pendant on it.

However rodeos are a diffrent story. 

 

[ffabandchick123]

I'm going to be completely honest. I'm a teenage girl that showed cattle for the first time last year. Ive never been much of a girlie girl (shopping and getting dressed up isnt my thing,, and im not afraid of dirt and bugs) At the first county show at the beginning of last year I took one look around and saw all the girls dressed up in flashyness and things that were just not needed when you are trying to show cattle. Being bothered by these other girls I did go out to the shopping boothes and bought a pair of those oh so popular miss me jeans. (i got the ones with the cowhide on the backpockets,, sparkliness isnt my thing and i still do not believe its appropriate when my cattle have wind up getting $100 pair of jeans dirty in less then 5 mins.). I also went out of my comfort zone to buy a bright colored buttoned-down shirt and a cheap but still very pretty boot shaped necklace. Although I did break down to purchase these items I believe that getting dressed up and wearing a lot of bling isnt important when it comes to showing CATTLE!! This is why I feel much happier at local shows sponsered by ffa chapters where you are required to wear official dress. I also showed in the same top and jeans in every single county show that I did show at and i also plan to use the same outfit this next year. I do see a reason to dress nicely and not looking like you just rolled out of bed but some girls just....

 

[bwood]

wearing bling in the ring is just a way of showing enthusiasim for what you are doing. although there are times where it can be alittle much. having some here and there won't hurt anyone though...when it's the halter, the number harness, the belt the boots and the jewelry, then you might be alittle overboard.

 

[blackcows]

Anyway, I wonder why the flash  is not only accepted in horse shows but expected, while obviously it is frowned upon by many in cattle shows?

Actually in a 4H horse show the dress code is very strict, plain white long sleeve shirt with no design, 4H arm band, dark jeans with no designs on the pocket.  I think the difference in the horse show world is that things are still very segmented, you will certainly see the bling in the breed shows and some of the open shows but not at a 4H show.  For the most part people show 4H\Open or Breed, there are some like our family that show both but it's not very common.

 

[vanridge]

Mom of 4 boys. When showing you put your game face on. Clean Wranglers, good boots, I nice belt, 4-H shirt, or nice button up shirt, cowboy hat, and a smile. If your a parent and you let your girls get blinged out you are encourage your daughter to be looked at as the prize. You are encouraging older men to look at them and you can't even blame the judge when its in his face like that. Keep it reasonable. (pop)
Although I have seen black heifers sprayed with a little sparkle and that does look pretty cool!

 

[jakec53]

Mom to 11 year old girl...if all it takes is a little bling to keep my daughter interested in a hobby that will help her immeasurably in life, I say go for it.

 

[simmyman67]

It just depends on the person and what he/she likes.

 

[amesadise]

Hi SEA! I totally agree with your posting! Eventhough you posted this reply about a year ago, I would like your permission to put you post/article in my newsletter.  Please let me know! my email [email protected]

Thanks!

Male, father of four children, 2 boys, 2 girls, all showed cattle.  All done now, except breed shows.

I was always taught, that when you are in the showring in a cattle showmanship class, you are showing both the calf and yourself.  Both need to be presented WELL, and APPROPRIATELY!!  The show person has to show off his/her animal, himself/herself and be kn owedgable in their project.

When all of us are fitting our cattle for a show, we do many steps in preparing them to show, " Dye their hair, glue and build their legs, add powders, paint their hooves, fluff their hair, and hold it in place with adhesive, paint many spots, and spray different types of oil all over their bodies.  This is not only approved practices, but expected.   If you want to "show well".   The art and techniques of "fitting" cattle before a show, certainly has changed and evolved.  Most new trends are all excepted.

I guess, with this in mind, is why I do not understand all this hype, disdain, and attention given to the exhibitors apparel and style.  My feeling is this is a cattle show, you are not back home in the barn.  Do you wear the same clothes and "bling", when you go out on a Saturday night for dinner that you do at home doing chores?  More over does everyone, or why should everyone, wear the same clothes out to dinner, as everyone else.  This is not a Dairy Cattle Show where style at some shows dictates black pants, white button-up shirts, and a black bow ties.

Dress and act the part.   I do not like T-Shirts, to me that is NOT dressing the part, or appropriately.  However, bling should be an individual thing, just like what breed of cattle you show, or brand boots you wear, to wear a cowboy hat or not.  It is the decision of the individual exhibitor (and his or her parents), and the type of show they are attending.

I think sometimes we need to be a little more open minded and receptive to change.

For years I was much to serious about showing, and by serious I mean stern, and tough on my kids.  Lets all remember, these are our children  These should be good times, and make good memories for the rest of their lives, win or lose the show.


I now agree with GONEWEST.

LET THEM HAVE SOME FUN!!​

 

[whereselway]

I am a mom of 2 kids, boy and girl, showing steers and heifers in Texas...the "birth place of bling".  Luckily for me my daughter has conservative taste, a little sparkle to be trendy, but not excessive. 

Texas does most things in excess,  so why stop at the show ring..lol! Typical dress for most...not all, but most girls at texas shows goes something like this:

Chunky rock necklace with life size pendant of a show steer, shape of texas, or a cross
a minimum of 3 bracelets on each wrist, completley encrusted in crystals
a top that is either too tight or too low cut
jeans that have more shiny stuff on them than denim
belt worn over shirt, hang just a little too the side
boots or sperrys
and no look is complete without the ratted nest looking hair fastened with 30 bobby pins and tail adhesive
this, with makeup enough for 2 and the requisite fake smile.....completes the ensemble!

way over done..just my opinion

 

[RidinHeifer]

Since we are bringing this back, I'll go ahead. 

18, show a calf here and there, show sheep(primarily breeding), and horses on all levels. 

I will be the first to say the amount of top coverage depends on the judge.  There's only a couple I will hike the tank top down a bit for.  Otherwise it is a button up western shirt, long sleeves.  In the past 2 years I have worn a short sleeves shirt 2x for sheep.  It was nasty hot though.  Properly fitting jeans, no butt bling.  I wear a chunky necklace if I have one that matches shirt, otherwise it is just a rhinestone necklace, earrings are pearls or sparkles-studs, never anything that goes past my ear lobe.  Occasionally, I wear a bracelet(when I wear a short sleeve shirt.  Make up is minimal- light eye make up, foundation, bronzer, subtle lip gloss or stick.  State fair I wore khakis and a white button down once, loved the look! Very professional and clean.  Belts have bling but very minimal compared to most. 

Horses, well I'm on the lower end of the sparkles, but there is none on my English clothes. Period. Western, I use a louder colored pattern to use less crystals.  I show POAs so the color attention is already drawn.  Very big on matching colors to the pony. 

I propink before going in the ring on everything, do all my own shearing, washing, fitting, training, feeding etc etc.  Tear off pants are my besstest friend!

 

[gbart]

We show in TX, steers and heifers....Not much bling going on my daughter...Yes she has a belt with bling...it goes in the belt loops and is straight, the buckle is one she won, usually a showmanship buckle, hair nicely fixed and a long sleeve button up shirt and boots. No blingy show stick either....At the age of 10 she has listened well to judges during showmanship, where they knock kids with sperrys, to much bling and short sleeve shirts. Once had a judge even mention he didnt even like the colored show sticks.

I agree that some have WAY to much bling!!!

 

[livestockshowgirl]

im an 18 year old girl and let me tell you, i would love to bling in the ring a little.. but some people just cant pull it off, and that person is me. i love to keep it traditional with my hair down, or up in a pretty bun, a nice starched long sleeve, collared/cuffed button down, something that has a little color ( i have a blue and white flowered shirt now that has pink buttons, very traditional, but yet a little flashy, i like to get noticed a little too!), a nice clean pair on dark wash starched jeans, a belt and buckle, and a sweet pair of square toed boots. looks awesome when standing next to a fat black show steer, and you look professional and presentable.

 

[wonderchic]

Here is my two cents...I have two nephews. They dress appropriately in Cinch, Stetson or Wrangler jeans and a nice button up shirt-sleeves tbd by the weather. Real cowboy boots...NO caps...and a nice belt with rawhide. Showstick of their choice-camo. And on the heifer-the oldest likes the nice halter with a little silver we bought from the nice folks at Highland Livestock.  I do not like the boys wearing the jeans with all the stitching on them...but that is personal preference. Which is ok cause my men don't like em. I cannot stand to see boys wearing caps.
My opinion on the girls...I don't personally care how much bling they wear. But what gets on my nerves is the sweaters....tucked in...with thin belts...over the sweaters not in the pants. The cowl neck sweaters annoy me to no end. This is not a job interview. Please at least look like you could possibly have been in the barn at some point before the show.
And on the subject of showmanship: a wise man once told my nephew..."you can't hardly beat them girls buddy." Lol. My boys get is done but aren't flashy and showing every tooth in their mouth. And I won't make them do things that would embarrass them so if we never win a big showmanship-I'm ok with it.
My last issue: I nearly had a fit at the first Jr Nat I took him to and they handed out t shirts for the kids to show in. T SHIRTS? Come on. Ugh. Tacky. Give em shirts. I'm all for that. But don't make em wear em to show in.
Great thread. Nice to see something else other than arguing over clubby females and which breed is better.

 

[RidinHeifer]

Wonderchic...I 100% agree with you on the t shirts!! I like a souvenir shirt but not to show in!

 

[nobody]

My son shows heifers and steers in Texas and this is not an issue for our family. He does not like Sperry's and absolutely hates them in the ring. As for bling, I guess we've seen it so much I don't notice it. IMO if my son gets beat in the ring it is because someone is better and he needs to go home and  practice, not because of bling. Last week at our county fair a girl had a hot pink bow on the end of her heifers tail....that's ridiculous.

 

[barngoddess]

Coming from a 17 year old girl who has shown all her life, I think that in todays world of showing cattle bling is acceptable. I'm also familiar with the horse show world as well as the dog show world, and I can tell you that to even compare showing cattle to dogs when it comes to bling is ridiculous. Now, politics, yes, we have a whole hell of a lot in common with the dog show world when it comes to that. But I see that we are now almost head to head with the horse show world. Little girls' parents buying the best and most expensive heifer out there, doing all the work or hiring someone to do it, then blinging out the girl to put it on the halter. That's almost exactly what goes on in the horse show world, and I know, trust me.

I am not a flashy or "preppy" girl at all. You can almost always find me in jeans and a tshirt because I hate dressing up and feeling uncomfortable. Coming from experience, I can tell you how out of place and "not good enough" you feel when you're the only girl in the ring who doesn't have the latest pair of miss me jeans and the coolest belt and necklace. Even though I don't go overboard on my bling, I do have a nice belt and I wear necklaces and earrings (NEVER hoop or dangly earings though) and I bought 2 rhinestone conchos at a horse show that I put on my show halter, but they're not huge or gaudy. They're simple and give the halter a nice touch. I always wear a nice buttoned down shirt or a polo at the hotter shows and I wear dark thick stitch wranglers. I have bling jeans but I only wear them for casual use, not to show in.

I do fairly well in showmanship and I believe that it's not because of my bling because in retrospect to other girls, I don't have much at all. It's those girls who get a spray tan, put 5 cans of hairspray in their hair, get huge bows or blingy headbands, bling shirt, bling jeans, bling showstick (I have seen the grips blinged, some look nice like a simple black and white bling but the pink and blue and crazy colored ones are what tun me off) basically bling everything that make themselves look dumb. Is it just me or do girls who show sheep then start showing cattle seem much worse with this? LOL.

Anyways, I work my ass off at home with my animals and I think that I deserve to wear a little bling. Everything's ok in moderation. But think of this way....which steer is going to catch the judges eye first....a black one painted up with white or just a plain black one?

Just my two cents!! ;D

 

[leanbeef]

I have three daughters who show, and as a dad, I don't mind a little bling. As a showman & judge, there is DEFINITELY a limit because it can be a huge distraction. I heard more than one judge this past summer who used too much bling as a reason to move a showman DOWN a spot or two in a showmanship class. I would move somebody down for wearing too much before I would let it cost them a spot for not wearing enough. I don't think you need more than one article on you OR your heifer. You don't both need to be completely bedazzled to do well.