Fair finally over!!!!!

[rancherswife]

I thought I would let you all know how my Grandson did with his steers. I don't have any pics yet but as soon as I do I will post them.
Steers were in two different weight classes and they both got 2nd places. There were about 15 steers in each class so we were really thrilled at 2nd. He had to take them both back in for the champion drive and things kinda fell apart. The kid was wore out and so were the steers. We had to get an older kid to show one and he did really well but my Grandson had had enough!! The steer stepped on his foot and then just layed down in the ring. He wouldn't get up and my Grandson got the giggles. Finally got him up but the judge was done!! Not that I think they would have won anything more because in my opinion they were too finished. He sold the larger of the two at auction and got $2.75 a pound. The other one is going in my freezer this week sometime.
He did really well in showmanship which by the way is my favorite. He won his class, moved up to JR. won that class, moved up to senior and took fourth there. I am really proud of him for that. He did all his own fitting. My daughter wanted to hire a fitter but GRANDPA said let the boy learn. He did an excellent job.
His market goat took third which really surprised us. I don't know squat about goats!! His chicken got Best Polish at the fair too. Dumb chicken!!
Anyway we are proud of him and I want to thank you all for your help along the way.
Take Care

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

letting your grandson fit was the best thing you could have done. a lot of the kids at the shows i go to (in australia we dont have fitters, we do it ourselves) have parents with big studs so the animal is always immaculate. where as us kids who were first generation showers had to learn it all ourselves. so when we won and our animal looked good, we felt better, because we broke them, we trained them, we fed them, we dolled them up and we showed them.

congratulations to you and your grandson!

 

[karlie45]

Congratulations! Your grandson learned much more by fitting himself than any other way! You all should be VERY proud. I dont really understand the way they judged showmanship at your show, but it sounds like he did great! Thats always one thing that I love, showmanship. Calf could have come in last, but if I did well in showmanship I went home with a smile.

Congratulations again! Tell your grandson he did a great job. You both can now relax.

 

[Keren]

letting your grandson fit was the best thing you could have done. a lot of the kids at the shows i go to (in australia we dont have fitters, we do it ourselves) have parents with big studs so the animal is always immaculate. where as us kids who were first generation showers had to learn it all ourselves. so when we won and our animal looked good, we felt better, because we broke them, we trained them, we fed them, we dolled them up and we showed them.

congratulations to you and your grandson!

You're right on the money aussie. It really used to frustrate me when I was going in a paraders competition and in the marshalling area the kids from big studs were standing there holding their cane, another person was holding the animal so they wouldn't get dirty and three others were fitting and doing last minute clipping. Whereas I had fitted not only my steer but 10 others for the younger kids. And boy did it make me mad one local show I went to I'd been showing for three studs all morning, I'd had an animal in every class and was co-ordinating a team of workers. When it came to the handlers class at the end of the day, the judge placed me down because my moleskins were dirty and I looked tired. The bloke he placed above me brought one heifer to the show, he had got her out of the shed in the morning, showed her then stayed on the lawns the rest of the day so he wouldn't get dirty.

Sorry to hijack your thread, rancherswife. Tell your grandson congratulations on his fantastic success, I'm looking forward to some photos, and like the others have said, good on you for letting him learn to fit :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

yeah tell me about it Keren.

although, in australia at our state show, our steers get sold off before the last handlers event so we normally borrow another studs animal. One year i borrowed a big brutish black angus bull from a stud who had a daughter competing in the same event as me, showing a heifer. anyway, i washed and groomed and everything myself where as this girl has her parents get the animal ready while she was getting changed. amazingly enough i ended up winning the event, beating the daughter. the stud never lent me cattle ever again unfortunately, sore losers :lol:

but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing an animal you put the hard yards into doing really well. i got complimented on a fair few of my animals behaviour in events and the daily grand parades. which is worth more than a prize you didnt win yourself.

 

[Keren]

:lol: That's funny. But its always nice when you beat those ones!

Where abouts are you aussie? Our royals (syd, melb, canb) used to be that way but the last maybe 6 or 7 years they have changed it so for most of the handlers comps the steers are still there, at least for the schools handlers comps. Which makes organising it a whole lot easier - less of a headache!

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

im in western australia. our steers were there for first handlers comp, but not for the second or state finals. i wish i had a black angus steer i showed in my state finals competition. i enjoyed taking other peoples animals though. i've shown some impressive animals and different breeds this way. OOH actually, do you remember a charolais bull from WA that took out best cattle exhibit called 'Liberty Unforgetabull.' i think it was about 4 year ago. he was rising 3 when he won it. and if he's a 'U' animal... hmm i cant remember what letter we are up to anymore. anyway, he was about 1250kg and a guy in my local town bought him for about $50,000 and took him to my local show. so i actually got to show him.

do you guys do preparer parader events over there too? man i love those.

 

[Keren]

Oh, yeah, I knew that. :roll: Blonde moment, its been a looooong day where nothing went right.

I can't recall the bull, but I haven't had a lot to do with charrys, really. I think we are up to C this year, if not well I've named them all wrong! But thats really cool - I haven't had a lot to do with too many 'famous' show cattle.

What on earth are preparer parader events?

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

a preparer parader event is where you get your animal washed and blowdried but you cant brush them. you leave their hackamore or rope halter on and you go in with your show gear under a set of overalls and gumboots. you take in with you your brushes, sprays, show cane, leathers, show boots and a bucket with a bit of water in it (with a sponge). you tie your animal up and you have 20mins to groom your animal (so curry comb, soft brush, scrub hooves, comb tail, clean eyes, nose, ears and butt with the wet sponge, then you need to get out of your overalls and gumboots and into your show boots. then you need to swap over halters, making sure the animal is always secure. by the time the 20mins is over you need to be standing ready to go into a normal paraders event. so you get judged on your grooming skills, your time management skills, your safety and your handling skill. its a really good event. i always took charolais or black angus and threw some dirt on them before i went in lol.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

ack, i forgot to say that bull was at city show. der.

c already?! time goes quick when measured in the letter stud cattle are named with. lol

 

[Maineshowgirl]

Congrat's to your grandson and to all of ya. Sounds like the steers were good, what were they? I love to fit but sometimes I like my Jock to do it for me at the Major shows because I feel like he always did a better job. So did ya sell the goat in the sale, 3rd around here will get you in the sell. And congrats with the chickens I REALLY don't like showing chickens helped some people out once that was anuff, but if you can get good at raising them and making the sale you really come out better because they don't cost that much to raise. But tell your Grandson Congrats and Please post some Pic's soon.

 

[rancherswife]

Thanks for all the Congrats!!! He loves reading your replies!
He couldn't sell his goat because our fair only allows one animal in the sale unless they are champions then they have to sell.
We still don't have the pics but as soon as I get them I'll post some.