Well, the nice thing about the first show of the season is that you find out what items got put in the wrong place and you are able to become more prepared for the next show... I forgot that I had taken the clippers out of my show box before winter so that they wouldn't be outside during all of the sub-zero temps and potentially having something crack, and I was unable to find it before the show... :bang: For not being clipped at all I was very happy with how my steers compared to others in their classes. My shorthorn weighed in at 1035 (Not bad for a July 18th calf) and my Simple Math black baldy steer weighed in at 1255 (He is a March calf but not being pushed very hard).
Shorthorn was tied for lightest British calf and baldy was heaviest commercial. The judge had a tough time selecting between my shorthorn and the hereford that was the same weight, but in the end went with the hereford because he had a little bit more depth to him, which was only there because they had a half inch of hair standing up on top and an inch below, while mine was basically "blow 'n go." We will make sure that is corrected for the next show. He was 4th of 4. The top steer in the class was, IMO, the best steer there, but it ended up taking 3rd overall and Champ British. The 2nd steer in my class was Res. Champ British.
My baldy calf's downfall was that I didn't have him fitted to look square in the rear. The judge said that his "class advantage" was length of body... I am happy with that because that is one of those things that you can't really change much with clipping and feeding. He came in 6/6. I had a lot of people who really liked the looks of my steers, and were all eager to see what they look like in 3 months at our state fair
As long as I keep pushing them through the summer, they should both be the perfect age and weight for their frames at our final show.
The baldy is definitely going to do his best in a heavy weight class (he's got above average frame but not excessive IMO) because he is 1/4 holstein. Everyone who has seen him has been shocked when I told them he's a quarter holstein, and they usually want to see him again--but they still can't find it in him. I'm very happy that he has lost the dairy character, but also has enough of the frame to grow into for his final show at 17 months of age.
The shorthorn has had numerous admirers, from my FFA advisor (who tried buying him from me for his son) to the many who I look to for guidance in sire selection, to a random stranger who approached my dad while I wasn't around during the show to say, "you know, I really do have to compliment you on your shorthorn steer here. He's not finished yet, but he's got the right 'look' and just the right frame." My dad told him that he doesn't have to be finished until August 21st, and that it was his son's (my) project so he should tell me. He said that August 21st would be just about right with my steer. Makes me very excited!!
While I was at the show, I had 4 other people, whom I've never met, tell me that my steers looked really nice and that they should do very well later this summer. After my class was done I had another breeder come up to me who was curious to see how my shorthorn steer did. I think we could have really turned some heads if we had the clippers... :bang:
Overall, I was very happy that I went and got the experience. My shorthorn definitely needs all the human interaction he can get... He loves coming up to me to get attention, but at that show he was terrified of everything. I'm lucky that I have him in a small pen in the barn where I'm feeding him by hand morning and night otherwise I can't imagine how bad it would have been if he didn't trust me as much as he does... Scary thoughts! He even got skittish when the other steers in the class lined up next to him... Now we just need to work their hair some more and get some clipping practice in before the next show! I am very excited to see where we end up this summer!
