First timer looking for advice

[shrekcowgirl]

My daughter wants to get into 4-H, and she has her heart set on market steers. Would that be ok for a beginner? She has been around cows her whole life. Other then that, where do you buy your show supplies, and what is some advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[Lucky_P]

I've seen so little activity in this section of this site through the years, that I suspect we have very few members who play in the show ring. You may be better off asking this sort of question somewhere like SteerPlanet.
Discussions here tend more toward real-world commercially-oriented, while 'steer-jockeys' are all over at SP.

 

[FullCircleWVa]

Where are you located? I don't know anything about show steers but I know a woman local who shows and does well. If you're local to WV, feel free to send me a message and I can provide her contact info.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

A steer project is a great project for 4H. Plan to purchase a weaned steer calf in the fall.
It's a valuable life lesson that can be an expensive start up cost.
Do you have any farms in your area that shows beef? You might be able to have them sponsor your child. Buy a steer from them, and keep him there. You can use their equipment and start buying what you need.
I highly recommend you encourage he/she to do it.
Depending on where you live, there may be a beef club.
My daughter started showing with a steer back in 1978. Hubby and I got the bug thru all the 4H involvement and we still show. Just got home from a show. See my post in the show board.

 

[cowgirl8]

Find out what kind of shows are around you. Sometimes they only have reg heifers and commercial heifers. Just a note from a former calf show mom... There will always be.............THERE WILL ALWAYS BE.... a parent who will buy what it takes for their kid to win. Our kids showed our ranch grown heifers out of our mix of stock. They did well, they learned.. We eventually got into reg heifers, but, like i said, there is always that parent. There are also parents who showed as kids and know all about it and they'll do all they know for their kids. We made our kids do their own work. Next weekend, 2 of our grandkids will be showing some of our ranch heifers for the first time... We're back in a guess now, but we'll just go watch. My kids are finding out what kind of work and time it took even though we made them take care of their heifers.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My daughter wants to get into 4-H, and she has her heart set on market steers. Would that be ok for a beginner? She has been around cows her whole life. Other then that, where do you buy your show supplies, and what is some advice? Thanks in advance.

Location?

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Were you in 4-H yourself when you were younger? Are you acquainted with any of the other parents? A beef project can turn into
a time consuming budget draining project for many reasons. Where you live is not important to me but I do care if you as a family
have been around livestock and have time and facilities (resources) to follow this to a successful conclusion. There are hundreds of
worthwhile projects aside from showing beef offered by 4H. We were in 4_H as kids, enjoyed
it, we did cattle, hogs , roosters, pies, sewing and whatever, depending on gender and age.
Most was good, some a pain in the ,,, Go in with open eyes and get as much information
locally as you can and not an internet forum. God bless your efforts and good luck!

 

[Caustic Burno]

Were you in 4-H yourself when you were younger? Are you acquainted with any of the other parents? A beef project can turn into
a time consuming budget draining project for many reasons. Where you live is not important to me but I do care if you as a family
have been around livestock and have time and facilities (resources) to follow this to a successful conclusion. There are hundreds of
worthwhile projects aside from showing beef offered by 4H. We were in 4_H as kids, enjoyed
it, we did cattle, hogs , roosters, pies, sewing and whatever, depending on gender and age.
Most was good, some a pain in the ,,, Go in with open eyes and get as much information
locally as you can and not an internet forum. God bless your efforts and good luck!

Lots of resources through 4H programs . I had two grandchildren get full rides, both are livestock judges.
It's also a lot of work.