I recently judged a "jr" heifer and prospect steer show. I guess I was taken back a bit when my ringman started telling what these people had given for these calves. Some of the "kids" had multiple five figure calves in their trailers. He also started telling me how some of the parents would come in the ring with me if I didn't give reasons to suit them.
I was very short and I didn't say much at all about the calves.I just placed them the way I felt they needed to be and said some fluff. I did not have any problems,other than a few comments in the parking lot.
What can we do as an industry to make the Jr shows about kids again. Kids showing cattle should be a learning and fun experience. Kids learn life lessons as well as business. It should not be about who can spend the most. Is there a way? Do we put a limit on what a kid can spend on a calf? Should the calves be bred by the exhib. or their family?
I don't like these ideas, but I think we need to do something.The kids need to learn more than whoever has the most money wins and poor sportsmanship is O.K. when you don't.
The steer I made Reserve was a calf that I could tell the girl had worked with herself and her family had bred,I asked the kids what sire and dams were on the calves in class. It was a good steer that maybe wasn't as flashy,but was a heck of a good calf. The only thing I heard was that I "didn't know the difference between a $1500 steer and a $20,000 steer".
I am venting a little,sorry, but I would like to some input on how we can deal with this issue.
I was very short and I didn't say much at all about the calves.I just placed them the way I felt they needed to be and said some fluff. I did not have any problems,other than a few comments in the parking lot.
What can we do as an industry to make the Jr shows about kids again. Kids showing cattle should be a learning and fun experience. Kids learn life lessons as well as business. It should not be about who can spend the most. Is there a way? Do we put a limit on what a kid can spend on a calf? Should the calves be bred by the exhib. or their family?
I don't like these ideas, but I think we need to do something.The kids need to learn more than whoever has the most money wins and poor sportsmanship is O.K. when you don't.
The steer I made Reserve was a calf that I could tell the girl had worked with herself and her family had bred,I asked the kids what sire and dams were on the calves in class. It was a good steer that maybe wasn't as flashy,but was a heck of a good calf. The only thing I heard was that I "didn't know the difference between a $1500 steer and a $20,000 steer".
I am venting a little,sorry, but I would like to some input on how we can deal with this issue.