Keeping things in perspective.....

I don't know about all of yall..... but there are times when I wonder if show projects in general are worth all the hassle.  This is our first year showing calves, having shown hogs last year.  I've been spending around 4 hrs a day out there with her 2 calves.  When I get to thinking about all the expense associated with showing calves, it gets somewhat mind-boggling at times as well.  Luckily I have a grandpa (my dad) who is interested in helping his grand-daughter with her show project.  Since we've started, I've been really blown away at all the "tricks of the trade" and trying to figure out what is appropriate to try & what all seems a little bit underhanded.  My mind has been swimming with all I've had to learn, and am still trying to learn. 

Well, standing out in the pasture tonight watching my daughter set up her steer, I was reminded why we're doing this.  My daughter is doing exceptionally well trying to learn to show, and she really enjoys working with her calves.  She's only 9, but she's taking on responsibilities already that I wouldn't have expected for several more years.  She's showing a lot of work ethic, courage, leadership, and most of all she's very patient.  I couldn't be more proud than I am right now. 

This is why I do what I'm doing.  I know it isn't a great picture of the calf, but that isn't really the point:

i'd have to say that is one of the most pleasing pictures i've seen in a while.  a handler COMFORTABLY standing with her animal.

i like the following.

her position with the calf.
her arm height
calf's head height and that it is straight forward
calf is relaxed
handler is relaxed
handler if focused
angle to the calf

pick a list of things to do and do them well.  the endless list is a waste of anxiety, money, fun, learning etc.  having fun is hard to do.

learn answers to questions, some feeding info for showmanship.

what is one thing you would change with your animal, etc

That is a grat picture a kid that looks like she wants to be there (not being forced to do it like some parents do there kids)  and is comfortable around her animal Great job and she should make you proud

PS
give you a small pointer get her a shorter show stick it will be easier for her to handle when she leads and sets up the calf

Great shot!
Agree get a smaller show stick they make them for young ladies.

I have a 9 year old daughter as well, When I watch her trying hard and doing her best, even though it is not all exactly right, I'm one proud Dad. I try to teach her and show her the right way to do things, but, the work ethic and time we share together is PRICELESS!!  In a few years she might not want to hang out with me, so I'm trying to enjoy all I can now.
 
The money we all spend on the gadgets is for us the parents, to make it easier on us, and hopefully more competitive. The 9 year old are going to learn the important things like work ethic ect. wetheror not they have an aluminum chute or an old 1970's model homemade 1200# chute, the kids are going to remember the time you spend together and the personalities of the calves, and hopefully that all the hard work is rewarded in the end!

The show deal would work and be alot simpler if all us parents would stay out of it, but we won't, we'll keep buying all the best new hair formulas and the greatest new gadgets to give our kids the edge, We love our kids and we will do anything to give them the upper hand on the competition. We all like to see our kids win..........we are parents, we can't help it.  Im done now sorry for the speech.

A book could be written about cattle, showing and families. It's all about learning, having fun and love. It's definitely a balancing act and keeping everything in a healthy perspective.

I appreciate yalls comments.  My daughter is going to her first show this weekend, and gets to pick out her own show stick & whatever else she feels like she has to have to show.  I ain't talking about big stuff.... just the regular show equipment for the ring.  The monster show stick she's using in the picture belongs to her grandpa. ;D

I always tell people that if you are getting into showing cattle for the money you need to find a new hobby.  You carry the lessons you learn from a young age with you the rest of your life.  The memories that you will have are PRICELESS!

AWESOME!

i started helping a girl last year with her first calf and i will never forget the experiance. she now is on to her second steer and showing like a pro. she does it all on her own and her mom cannot get her out of the steer pen!    but when i was helping her last year i didn't worry to much on the showing part i just wanted her to have fun. and we did. after she had gotten comfortable with her calf we started her with a stick and they did well. although she didn't use it at fair because "oreo" was acting up and riding anything that moved.  : 

but your daughter looks very calm with her calf and he doesn't look like he has a worry in the world. good job
[and a shorter showstick would be better]

  Great thread & posts. Brings a tear to my eyes just looking reading & remembering yesterday. Enjoy the ride. It's a short one!! Brent

looking at that picture sure brings back some memories.  my daughter is 30 now and I have a 3 year old granddaughter that I would move mountains for.  my daughter started showing steers and heifers when she was 9 and I can remember the last show when she was a senior in high school.  after she sold that steer in the ring and we were walking back to the stall I'm nearly in tears and she tells me, dad, it's been one heck of a ride hasn't it.  needless to say, I lost it right there.  she's a sweetheart and nowadays lets me take my granddaughter when we go feed.  six more years till we get a showstick in her hands.  jlingle, I hope you have the time of your life and give that little girl a big hug and tell her you love her every time she comes out of the showring, whether she's first or last.  Good luck.

Looks like I am in the minority about the show stick but think of this. She can reach the back legs of this calf now with a large but when he gets to be 1200lbs she WILL NOT be able to reach them without turning his head and then he will swing his butt. Keep grandpas monster around and keep her using it to be relaxed with it because when he grows she may need to go back to it. My daughter has shown with a extra large for the first three years and only this year has been able to use the large. On one steer she may need to use the extra large again as he is super long bodied and she may not have the reach for him without him spinning on her. Frosty

We as farm families are extremely lucky.  We complain about how much this or that costs...but imagine how much it would cost to bail them out of jail, drug rehab, or worse.

You caught me on a softy day I guess.  It brought tears to my eyes literally.  I remember working with my grandpa out in the barn.  He didn't show cattle, but had a calf or two and had horses.  Those memories are some of the best I have with him.  I loved just being with him in the barn soaking up any knowledge I could. 

I know travel with my two kids 11 and 6 showing cattle.  I complain like a normal mom of course.  This weekend when my daughter won showmanship my heart was so big it about jumped out of my chest.  She went from the timid little girl in Red's article to a refined showman that other people grab to show there stock when needed.  Hopefully they both grow up to be very productive young people I can be proud of...oh heck I'm already proud of them.

Grandpa and you are building so many memories and important traits that will carry on thru life...my hats off to you all.

How did she do ? I hope it was great for her (and daddy)    even if she placed at the bottom, I say  (clapping) yay for her  <party>

http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/index.php?topic=8335.0
This is a video I made last yr with my first steer the time with him was priceless and this just shows what its all worth!
Britt

Well, there weren't that many steers that showed up.  So.... how we did is a little immaterial.  Yes we brought home some ribbons and a little prize money, but bragging about doing well at a small show would be a little silly.  I'll say this: there were some really good cattle at that small show.  The calf showed extremely well, and my daughter did a tremendous job for her first show.  My daughter showed 2 rings of showmanship on Sunday & stood 6th out of 9 in each ring.  I thought that was pretty darn good for a first timer. 

The absolute highlight of the whole experience, was getting to meet the new people.  We rode up there with Dustin Glover and there were 4 other families that all stuck together, helped each other, and hung out all weekend.  We made some great new friends this weekend & for that, I'm super excited.  One young man took our steer into the ring for showmanship on Saturday & showed him in both rings for us, just to help the calf get accustomed to the routine before my daughter had to show him.  The people that we were there with, were unbelievably helpful and informative.  I'm just darn proud to've been able to meet them all and for my daughter to have been able to share some time with them.  We learned a lot, the calf learned a lot, we had a great time, and we made some new friends.  It was a great weekend. 

I'm really glad we were able to get the steer out and take him to a show.  He needed the experience just as much as we did.  The calf was pretty overwhelmed at first & acted out some.  I think he'll mellow out when he gets a few more miles under him though.  My little girl is already asking when we get to go do it all again. 

We love to show cattle.  Its what we do as a family.  We don't go on ski vacations or have snowmobiles or a boat.  We raise and show livestock as a family.  Yes it costs some $$ and time.  But its time spent with the kids learning and doing something we love together.  Not mom or dad out doing things without the kids.  It sure helps the kids learn about work ethic, responsibility and sportsmanship.

The last couple of weekends I was reminded a few times why we show cattle.  The first was when our third grade daughter won the fifth grade and down showmanship at the Minnesota Spring Classic.  She is so proud of that chair and traveling trophy.  It made all the long days at home and the cold damp show day all worth while.  Mom and dad couldn't be more proud of how both our kids did.

The second occasion was this past weekend when we had to weigh in county fair lambs.  Caroline was staying over night at a friends house in town and had recently been thru a family divorce.  I picked Caroline and her friend (who has never had any exposure to show stock)  up on the way to the weigh in.  We spent a couple of hours there and then headed home.  On the way home her friend commented how fun it was with the animals and how neat it was that every body helped each other with their lambs.  We all take it for granted that you help those around you but maybe this is not the norm in society any more.  Even tho this friend knew nothing about sheep,  she said she had a great time and met some new people.

At a Showmaster Boot camp we were at, I think it was Andy Rash who said " we have the PRIVILEGE to show livestock.  Most all of your friends at school would love to do this but we have the privilege to."  Sometimes when things aren't going just right I remember this quote and realize how lucky we all are to be able to raise our kids in such a unique environment.

That is an awesome quote, thank you for sharing!!
If you have the privilege to spend time with Dustin Glover you are truly blessed, learn all you can in your time with him, that is a rare opportunity to learn from one of the best.

You will learn valuable lessons from Dustin Glover who happens to be one of the nicest people I know.One of the other families that was with you guys was probably the Stults family from Luther, Okla. Ryan,and his Dad and Mother are great friends of mine as is Dustin and Bruce Glover.The Stults family are another family that people can learn a great deal from,not only showing cattle,but life in general.