Gearing up for show season

[Keren]

:banana: I'm excited

Our spring show circuit starts in September ... we are just starting now to pick out show teams, and put entries in for the biggest show of this circuit, Melbourne Royal.

I havent been out to see the cattle for a long, long time and its been bugging me :frowns: . But I will get out there in the next week or so, and take some pics of the show team (standing in grass only, I havent broken them in yet).

But was talking to BM about them last night and it looks like we will have 3 young bulls (<15 mths), 2 young heifers (<9 mths), one junior heifer (15 - 18mths), one senior heifer (18 - 24 mths), one senior bull (approx 26 mths I think he is, I'd have to check). So eight animals confirmed so far, plus there may just be another 2 senior bulls and possibly a cow and calf. Not sure yet. Will depend on what size truck we get lined up and how many we can fit on it lol I will definitely pull a cow and calf out for a couple local shows though.

Then I will have my damara sheep, angora goats (at least 2 of each, maybe more) and about 5 or 6 boer goats. So I will be kept busy. I'll be at melbourne show for the entire duration (almost 2 wks).

Anyway, I'm excited now :banana:

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Because we took sheep, steers and stud cattle we always had to stay at the show the whole time. I love taking senior bulls. They are normally so docile (When we had the Maine Anjous at least). Senior bulls are definitely my favourite to show. I'll leave the young heifers and cow/calf units for the juniors lol.

Not long till the Expo!

 

[show steer up]

sounds like great fun karen, let us know how you do. GOOD LUCK

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We will be showing 6 head. First show is in 3 weeks! :shock: and none of the 6 head have ever been shown. Whole new string.
Got a Jr & Sr Yearling - were halter broke for a few weeks last year. Got a Sr Hfr calf, 2 jr hfr calves, & 1 bull calf. The 3 spring calves were tied for the first time a week ago today. Doing great!
It IS very exciting showing a Sr bull. Sure get a lot of attention!! and they are usually sweethearts.
I agree with you, Keren :banana: I'm excited! :banana: Hopefully, we never loose that excitement - and I'm getting pretty old for this game.

 

[show steer up]

good luck JSV, have a great time and take a lot of pictures for us

 

[Keren]

Aussie, while I admit I love the big guys, there's also the small matter of if they move their head to look at something, I go flying!

I've always been one to show the little flighty heifers, cos they dance around and carry on and I used to always be looking for one that did that for paraders comps.

But what am I saying - I show them all :shock: baby heifers, big heifers, cows/calves, bulls ... lol Melbourne show I'm usually in the ring for every single class, I have people lined up at the entry and exit to take the animals from me and pass me the next one. gets a bit hairy but we get there in the end.

give me a yell if you are going to be over this way round show time

Good luck with your new show string Jeanne :banana:

I guess I'd better get out there soon and start breaking them in ... there will only be 5 of the 8 to break in so thats not so bad.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thanks, this will be a small show. Just a "breaking in" or "outing" for them. That way they sort of know what's going on for the next one - which will be the NY State Fair - Labor Day weekend (1st week in Sept).

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Not this year I won't be. Maybe next year I can wrangle something.

Paraders, lol, I always liked to take the strong headed bulls. This one angus, would lunge at me while he was tied in his bay. Fantastic shower, spent the whole time elbowing him in the head in return to him bunting. I won that though. I used to try and take ear into paraders when I could. People always think they're flighty so even if they aren't they still mentally give you points for taking a brahman or whatever in.

Unless you end up like me in preparer paraders where my greyman hooked his leg behind my knee and flipped me onto my back. That was when I was about 16 and the judge made comment that I got straight back up, growled at him and got on with the job.

I miss showing. :S

 

[Keren]

lol I would have loved to see that steer set you on your arse and you growling back at him

yeah, I miss it too. Mainly I miss having steers, big goofy buggers.

When I took the big ol bulls in, I got too many comments that the animal was too big for me, and we looked unbalanced. There was also the slight problem that I have to stand way out in front of the animal to see the judge lol so little heifers were better for me

 

[Australian]

I have a few to break in as well. Will start with nearly a whole new team. Our Spring shows start in October. Not going to the exhibition in Brisbane this year. Have to go and buy a Hereford bull or two at a sale thats on the judging day of Brisbane. Thinking about getting a young fitter about 200ks away to get them to the shows. Too hard to get any reliable help around here. Hope to have 2 Brahman bulls and 3 Brahman heifers. Also there should be about 4 South Devon bulls and 4 South Devon cows and heifers. Could have a nice black steer (by Angus out of pure SD).

 

[Keren]

Colin, I'm probably a bit further than you want, but I'd jump at the chance to show your cattle at Brisbane. If you ever need a spare set of hands, let me know.

 

[Anonymous]

Well I clipped heifers for the heifer show on the weekend. I'd say I'm a little bit rusty (that's what comes from not clipping for a whole year!) but they've come up pretty well. Will have to give them a bit of a tidy up before we leave this weekend.
I'm starting to seriously reconsider my decision to take a white heifer - sigh - guess I will be greeting the wash bay daily!
Too late to change now anyway, given I've clipped all the others. My poor little Snowball looks so scruffy next to them!
Will try and get some pics while we're there to post, depends whether I get the time to watch some judging though.
I'm sure between aussie and I we'll get a few pics together.

 

[Keren]

lol stock up on the blue-o carla! wish I was going to be there with you guys ... but kinda hard to get away from 12 bottle babies, does about to kid down any day, and a couple real sick goats

you'd better take pics!

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Lol, Killala, I have a white highland. If you see me come and tap me on the shoulder. I catch my plane to adelaide tomorrow arvo. Then I have to get my friends behind into gear and finish breaking her little heifer and pack all the show gear.

Also, pro tip: To save money, double your uni lab coat as a show coat.

 

[Anonymous]

Lol, I used to use my lab coat... but I have such a stockpile of dust coats I don't need to worry. The bugger is trying to keep them reasonably clean til you get in the ring.
We're leaving early Sunday morning with the truck... well the plan is to leave early, we'll see how that goes! Also depends on whether the truck decides to behave or not, in which case we're going to have to tow two trailers - fun.
I think I still need to give the heifers a trim on Saturday. After putting them back out I saw all the bits I'd missed. Sigh.

 

[Keren]

man, you guys are makin me jealous I gotta get out there and play with some cows! but humberto (my ute) is still at mechanic so I cant get out to howlong to see the cows ...

kinda funny, when I started uni I already had plenty of lab coats (dustcoats!)

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

As soon as I could get away with wearing breed vests I did, so like my second year showing. Man I hate dust coats... I feel like a tent/butcher.

 

[Keren]

yep I'm not a fan of white coats ... avoid like the plague!

 

[Anonymous]

Me either.

BUT in a multibreed competition they ARE good for uniformity, which is the whole idea.

'Cept those damn Charolais and their blue ones!! lol (far more practical but)

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Charolais aaaalways have to be different lol. But mind. I love taking charolais bulls for paraders because of their sheer presence. They are classy looking cattle. I just finished packing. I think I have everything. Carla are you doing senior herdsmen? My friend and I aren't- highlands. lol. I didn't end up entering the maine anjou competition. If home was closer to uni I might have but I haven't got the time or money yet for anything except the odd hoof and hook project.

Keren did I tell you that in one of my animal sci units the prac is spent entirely on the uni farm 'identifying pastures and handling pigs, sheep and cattle'? Sounds good to me. I have experience with all 3.