Why do you think really functional cattle can't also be the showring type cattle

[JbarL]

I like the concept of the slick steer shows. Not much much "pretty", but some good steers that are easier to evaluate. At the same time I really liked looking at those champion steers at the NAILE this last year.

I have misspelled definitely at least six times this year. I can do better.  Spell check would help, but keep forgetting to use it.   ))

telos....yoiu just shook a recent thought from me...when i recieved the latest exibitor/ and sales edition....i coudnt help notice  in the sales addition the black hairys that had obvious accheviements ( standing in front of the campions presintation)....and then of course the listed line of sire and dam well represented under the photo of coarse.....but unless the background was very light or outside.....you can "see" nothing" on about 80% of the black hariys.....maybe its just my ole 50/yr old eyes...but i see "nothing" on the cow ie cut/ shoulder/hips  ect.....i no that more pics would be avaliable upon contacting them...but for the cost of advertising/ and actually "showing" future buyers what the animal "looks" like ...it seems the markiting bang and direction is on  the banner behind/ and the lines the animal came from...and the steer calves all of course have nice good pics....but if they completley left of the lines involved.....what would really catch your eye??..maybe we should just have a picture presontation show at the fairs.....with handouts on the fine lines we have used...give each participant 6 minutes on the overhead and verbal presentation.....and just leaave the cows home...and do it at the convention center...inside in  the air conditioning ? just curios if anyone else notices this with the black haryies and the pics that they "show" us in there ads?????  thanks  jbarl

 

[knabe]

interesting points JbarL.  i'm thinking that one of the MAIN reasons for shows is for producers to display their cattle so potential customers don't have to drive all over kingdom come, and perhaps see cattle they would'nt have otherwise.  we have allowed the winner to take on such a huge disproportionate importance, that it is becoming difficult, useless, costly, and other reasons for some producers to utilize the shows as a marketing outlet.  it seems like at shows, the cattle should be more consistent in their functionality, ie confirmation related to soundness than what you could find in commercial herds.  that last statement is obviously an oversimplification, but i am continually shocked at how lame some cattle are at purebred shows.  shows should be about testing your biases, openness to other bloodlines, directions, phenotype, reward for care in selection over time to fix multiple traits.  perhaps i'm being too cynical.  i know a few have mentioned this is in fact why they go to shows, but the volume of talk about shows indicates otherwise. perhaps it's just human nature and things really are ok.

 

[NHR]

This thread gives me Tired Head!!!!

 

[knabe]

TH = (T)ired (H)ead not Tibial Hemimelia ;D

 

[chambero]

This thread gives me Tired Head!!!!

Did that phrase come from The Ticket?

 

[cowz]

This has been a great thread.  I have tried very hard to behave,  really, but I have to do my little psychoanalysis thing here.  I enjoy my commercial cattle.  They pay the land payment.  The purebred cattle are a passion and sometimes you have to look at how to "play the game".

When it comes to the hard core showing world there are 2 purposes for showing:

1. You produce purebred cattle.  You exhibit in order to market those genetics.

2.  You are interested in participating in the shows in order to:  a.   LEARN or
                                                                                                      b.  ENTERTAIN yourself. 


If you fall into the a. category, you are usually a junior exhibitor or are trying to learn about cattle.

If you fall into the b. category, you might be an old junior exhibitor who became seriously addicted to the intense competition that you can experience when showing cattle.

As you all have probably noticed, showing the market species is a whole different ballgame than seed stock showing.  It is so fun to sit back and analyze the two different worlds.

A lot of folks criticize the type of cattle shown today.  I will be the first to jump on the band wagon criticizing poor structure.  We all have our pet peeves.
Many of the folks who criticize the show ring market cattle to customers who do want a particular type of cattle, possibly chasing EPD numbers rather than phenotypical (what they look like) traits.

I had an aquaintance that would show up at the regional junior show and spend his entire day loudly bellyaching about how shows are a total load of crap.  The kids didn't want to hear it .... they were having fun with their friends....The adults got sick of hearing it.  I asked this person, Why do you even show up and spend your day here if you hate it so much?   Never got a verbal answer....the answer I got through mental telepathy was...."Because I love griping about it so much!'

Long story short:  If you hate the show ring... go find something else to criticize.  Enjoy some other type of cattle activity.  There are commercial stock grower associations, bull test groups, specialized breed groups who do not show.  Do not ruin our party because you despise it.  Punish the breeders you do not like with what gets their attention -- the lack of your $$$$$$$.

For recreational show families, it is entertainment.  You can spend some cash taking the family water skiing, sport fishing, hang gliding....or showing livestock, whatever trips your trigger.

For enterprises that are marketing a line of genetics you do not like....ignore them.  They will eventually go away unless someone wants to use them. 

For market steer shows, in our part of the world, that have changed from hair to slick sheer, the same kids still win the steer show.  They have just learned how to pick 'em and feed 'em.  The hair is just a fashion statement!  ;D

I do not want to ruffle feathers.....just venting some of my observations.

 

[JbarL]

[quote author=dragon lady link=topic=1401.msg16049#msg16049
swimming...about 15 meters...in and out....lungs and heart....   jbarl

 

[DLD]

Great post cowz. I especially liked this part;

Long story short:  If you hate the show ring... go find something else to criticize.  Enjoy some other type of cattle activity.  There are commercial stock grower associations, bull test groups, specialized breed groups who do not show.  Do not ruin our party because you despise it.  Punish the breeders you do not like with what gets their attention -- the lack of your $$$$$$$.

 

[NHR]

This thread gives me Tired Head!!!!

Did that phrase come from The Ticket?

yep!

 

[garybob]

This thread gives me Tired Head!!!!

Did that phrase come from The Ticket?

I think the difference is, that if breeders had a zero tolerance policy like yours, NHR, then the rest of us wouldn't have experienced as much bad dealings with these certain bloodlines. PB Kryptonite is the best-looking colored shorthorn bull I have ever seen,and, his calves are evenly and uniformly good. Russell Sloan had a Herd sire out of him and a Rocker Bros. (Mighty Mary) cow out of Butterfield Able Seaman.

yep!