Dont know how relevant this will be because US shows are so different from Aust. shows, but anyway ...
Front end on a steer
(approx six weeks before the show) I clip the head down to the skin, clip out the ears, take off the top knot, tidy up the neck and shoulders but dont clip them out entirely
Front end on a heifer
I clip the head down to the skin, clip out the ears, depending on the animal I might leave or take off the top knot, clip out the neck and shoulder but blend this as smoothly as possible.
Barrel on a steer
clip straight down the topline pretty close, blend this in along the eye muscle, take off guard hairs, tidy up bottom line, take off the sheath hair
Barrel on a heifer
clip through the entire coat to even out the length, take off the guard hairs, tidy up bottom line, do not clip down the topline, tidy up the topline to straighten it out
Hind end on a steer
take off the tail head, bone out the tail, take the guard hairs off the back legs, shape the lower butt and upper hind legs, level off the tail switch, clip up the twist if hairy
Hind end on a heifer
depending on the tail set of the heifer I might clip it off or leave it hairy to glue up, tidy up the tail but dont bone it, take off the guard hairs, little bit of shaping to the butt and hind legs but not to the extent of the steer, dont level off the tail switch