When is it considered overkill?

[aj]

How about having steer shows for adults. Start a association for adult show steer shows. Have the big ones in Denver,Houston or where ever. It would be an all out no holds barred deal. This would create an outlet for adults to channel energy. It might level out competition in youth shows. It might double the size of the club calf industry. You could probably get sponsorship for the adult shows by the Sullivans, trailer companies.........feed companies etc.

 

[25j]

I have been following this post all week and decide to give my two cents.  Just because you win and have good calves doesn't mean you spend thousands of $. When my siblings and I started showing we had average calves but could still place towards the top of class at our county fair. We have finally gotten our cow heard to where we can produce some good ones that can compete and win our county fair and place good at state (won a divison a couple years ago) and we are now considered "cheaters". my siblings and I are to old to show but we have some town girls that now show for us and they are out morning and night for 3-4 hours working with there calves.  They put the time into there calves to make them as good as they are.  Anyone can have a cooler but you still need to put the work into it.  It is sad that just because you have good calves and do good you are labeled as a "cheater" or someone that spends lots of money.  It is the ones that start the rumors that are just jealous.

 

[aj]

I agree.

 

[BroncoFan]

After reading everyone's opinions, I really hope the rest of the kids in the county can give the family with the 15K steer and 14K steers a run for their money.  It would sure make our steer show interesting especially to see a feedlot/homegrown steer beat a couple of steers that were bred by a couple nationally known club calf producers. Last year the one person that took reserve champion from them has the best chance this year. The dad was pissed when their two steers didn't get grand and reserve. Last year they spent 5000 for each steer. I know all this because they don't keep it a secret on how much they pay. Like I said before I don't have a dog in the fight but it was interesting to get a wide range of opinions. Your comments put everything in perspective and I hope we will get to compete with you all in some major show someday.

 

[shortybreeder]

I can say from first-hand experience that it feels pretty good to do well against a calf somebody paid a lot more for than I did... I decided to show my own calf (I had 1 registered bull calf and decided to cut him so I could show a steer for my last year of 4-H) and at our county fair there is a family that spends BIG bucks on their show strings and brings in National quality cattle to the county fair, and I was very proud to beat them in the Rate of Gain contest (Grand Champion at 3.77lbs per day) because I had a July steer for an August show (registered shorthorn, came out at 1290 at weigh-in day) and I also got more compliments on my steer than they did. As I was leading my steer out to the trailer to load-out I had a stranger stop me so he could admire my steer and ask me questions about him... It was the greatest feeling in the world for me to be able to say I bred him myself, compared to when I asked the kid who won overall champion steer (of course from the family who spends big bucks) what the sire of his steer was and what kind of bloodlines he had behind him and the kid had absolutely no idea until I named a couple bulls that he looked like and he kinda recognized a name.

 

[CAB]

  I have left this thread alone, but I have a question, why does everyone seem to care so much about what "anybody" else is doing? Why not just do the very best you can with whatever project that your family sees fitting into your family's budget and if you don't do as well as you would like to just try to learn and improve yourself in the next season possibly by taking in some fitting clinics or trying hard to study what type of cattle are getting to the top of the class. Join some livestock judging teams for instance. It takes a long time to figure things out. It doesn't just happen. It takes a pile of knowledge and hard work.

 

[vc]

There are always going to be people that always seem to have great cattle, the barn talk will always be aimed at them, if your winning their talking about you.
The one family that came in and spent big money for calves (he was not shy about talking about it) had gotten into it for the right reasons, the older kids in the family had chosen some bad paths, they got the younger kids in it to help keep them grounded, the problem was the person they were getting advice from, and the arrogance of the father. The kids were good kids and learned how to show and take care of their animals after a few years. They even had a few heifers back east that the older boy would fly out to show, he did quite well with them.
The problem started the first year, the attitude and the brashness of the father on day one was hard to get past. The boys were on the shy side and very polite, the mother was also nice. I know from the outside the father was the same way in the business world.
The blast year they showed the father blew up at champion drive, his son won the show but his other sons steer did not make the drive, yelled at the judge shoved his way past him grabbed his son and the steer and marched from the ring. The judge went to follow him to see what the problem was, I stopped him and just said it is not worth your time, he was not going to get anywhere with him. I felt terrible for the boy who had won, my wife went and gave him a hug, told him great job, I shook his hand and told him what good job he had done, others followed suite.
The parents can ruin it for the kids, the ones who are winning and the ones who are not, I think we all need to step back and keep the kids in the front were they belong, be there to help and guide when needed, not stir the pot.

 

[BroncoFan]

There are always going to be people that always seem to have great cattle, the barn talk will always be aimed at them, if your winning their talking about you.
The one family that came in and spent big money for calves (he was not shy about talking about it) had gotten into it for the right reasons, the older kids in the family had chosen some bad paths, they got the younger kids in it to help keep them grounded, the problem was the person they were getting advice from, and the arrogance of the father. The kids were good kids and learned how to show and take care of their animals after a few years. They even had a few heifers back east that the older boy would fly out to show, he did quite well with them.
The problem started the first year, the attitude and the brashness of the father on day one was hard to get past. The boys were on the shy side and very polite, the mother was also nice. I know from the outside the father was the same way in the business world.
The blast year they showed the father blew up at champion drive, his son won the show but his other sons steer did not make the drive, yelled at the judge shoved his way past him grabbed his son and the steer and marched from the ring. The judge went to follow him to see what the problem was, I stopped him and just said it is not worth your time, he was not going to get anywhere with him. I felt terrible for the boy who had won, my wife went and gave him a hug, told him great job, I shook his hand and told him what good job he had done, others followed suite.
The parents can ruin it for the kids, the ones who are winning and the ones who are not, I think we all need to step back and keep the kids in the front were they belong, be there to help and guide when needed, not stir the pot.

Are we living in the same county? All kidding aside. Like I have said many times before, I'm new to the show arenas and trying to figure this game out. I always sit back and observe. I guess I found out that its a touche subject.

 

[RankeCattleCo]

Our county fair is a week before state, every steer sells at county, if you make the governor's sale at state fair then the buyer at county gets refunded. County is like a safety net, so you're at least guaranteed some sort of check because only the breed champions sell at state fair here in Wisconsin.  Some big players will leave their best one home for state but personally I take my steer to both shows, they get 10 days to recoup for state fair in between.

 

[Danielle1018]

In my mind this is the exact definition of overkill. Knowing that every other kid only has a steer that is at most $5000, there is no point for them to spend all that money. This is the prime example of "buying a championship".