Rustler9":3sc2v93v said:
No, it was a Longhorn show. One of the judges was a Longhorn breeder and the other was a beef judge with an Ag degree I believe. From time to time, different shows will use a person who is from another breed or breeds and this is ok as long as the person has been educated on Longhorns and what characteristics to look for in that particular breed. I believe anyone can judge a breed of cattle as long as they've read up on the breed and the attributes and characteristics of that particular breed. But, unfortunately in our breed the show majority of Longhorn cattle are being bred to look like something else. They've strayed far off course from the breed that they're supposed to be representing. Now, keep in mind that I have no problem with conditioning an animal and I know that not every animal is a prospect for showing. But many of these animals have been changed into something that kind of show their Longhorn heritage but also show traits of other influences in them. This I totally have a problem with and I know many other people who do as well. I would guess that this also happens in other breeds as well but it's a slap in the face to people who have worked hard to build up a breed and maintain it's purity and then have to look at animals that resemble another breed much more than what they are supposedly representing. To top it off, blood typing has been done away with to protect them. Hopefully, since our breed's President/CEO has been ousted for alot of other under handed activity that some of these things can be brought back in to the association to help curb some of the things that have been going on and get the association back to where it needs to be.
This is just one opinion on the breed. I believe that, although there
might have been some outside influences in
some animals. The vast majority of the the Texas Longhorns in the show ring are animals that have been improved through tough selection, culling and management among other things. Just because they do not have the huge horns like some of the animals in the breed today, and they do have meat on their bones many people think they are not true longhorns. Which to me is somewhat hypocritical because longhorns have been so different throughout the years that there has never been really a set phenotype on which a Longhorn must look like. I breed to have structurally correct animals with above average muscling, fertile animals, long-living animals, that are hardy in our area, and can go out and win our World Show. Since we cannot eat horns and the horns have
zero influence in procreation or calf rearing the horns are not a major influence in decision making when it comes to selection. However, we do understand the importance of the horns in the breed so all of our longhorns do have them, and we commend those individuals who produce animals that can work, raise a calf, have acceptable structure and also have exceptional horn growth.
One of the many, many things that is great about mine, and Rustler9's chosen breed is that there so many different phenotypes and colors and direction to go in Texas Longhorns everyone can find something they like. From traditionalist or purist who raise animals that look like they did back in 1865 to progressive breeders who are looking to add more beef to the longhorn to other progressive breeders who are looking to have 90 inch horned animals, and everyone in between, Texas Longhorns have many purposes. No one of these purposes is more or less important than the other and they all have their place in the breed. Along these lines... Texas Longhorn breeders select different paths and think theirs is the best path, but at the end of the day (even after some debating) breeders from the different paths can usually come together and be friends. Just because they disagree doesnt mean they are disagreable.
Ryan
