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gobigorgohome

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Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
60
this is my third year of showing heifers but unfortunatly this is my last year for i am a senior. I have an awsome limousin heifer who is really going to take me far this year but she isnt like my other heifers from the past. they were grab the lead and stick em easy going heifers. My heifer this year is super flashy and already stands out i just dont want to bring her down. If i do say so myself i am a decent showman...no i havnt won a showmanship hence this message i would really appreciate any tips that takes a good showman and makes them a great showman.
 

Bradenh

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Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
2,646
Location
Central Texas
so is this heifer a little on the psycotic side? the difference is picking a style and sticking with it. becoming a love or hate showman. alot of the kids that stand second or third are the ones that are in the middle between agressive and laid back. those kids are there because that judge wants one or the other. me when i show i am very laid back while the calf is set up and i get a game face on and bear down on the judge but stay slow. you cant be very submissive in there. go in with the attutude that you know that heifer is good. and you want to let everyone know that (if a calf isnt that good. try the submissive strategey). but stay alert and kick her head out to the judge if she has a nice front. or turn her head to you if she has a bigger butt and you want that to stand out. alot of people are going to dissagree and call some of that cockey but it seperates the contenders from the pretenders. . just remember to stay slow and keep your mind on that judge and the speed of that stick. and a common sence hint here that alot of folks screw up. Make sure the calf sets up on their own and fast before you go in there. if the calf doesnt set up fast. dont expect the purple. hope all of this helps
 

3dfarms

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Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
266
Location
North Carolina
I agree with Show Stopper.  Some calves are easy to get just right and some come with a little extra spirit that needs to be tamed more before you take them in the ring.  The more you work with her the better you will know how she walks and what shes gonna do when you stick her, etc.  Time your steps where you can lead her up in line and have her setup when you stop.  Some people worry too much about setting legs and miss the judge looking at their animal which will certainly dock you in showmanship.  This can also be true in a breed show, if you walk the walk with your animal and stop and she is setup, the judge notices it.  I saw a judge place a heifer second in class because she was really working the exhibitor over, but she was a better female than the first place heifer.  In his reasons he mentioned things maybe different on another day but the heifers attitude and/or possible heat cycle were not helping her that day.

Anyway, best of luck to you in your senior year.  I miss showing junior shows.  Make the most of it, put in the time before the show and bring home yourself a banner!  Good luck.
 

SFASUshowman

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Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
200
I agree completely, while there is a fine line between being arrogant and being confident, you have to be confident when you walk in that ring.  Walk in like you own the place, but have some common courtesy towards others in the ring.  The most important thing is knowing your calf and knowing what they need.  Judging shows now I see so many showmen that come in with a set routine they use on every animal, stop, set up, loin, scratch, loin again everytime the calf flinches, lol.  Not every calf needs to be loined, and only loin when the judge is viewing the animal from behind, loining squares the calf up from hooks to pins and makes them appear much squared hipped, but if your calf is already super level hooks to pins and super square hipped, then loining may not be necessary.  On the profile make sure you off set the hind feet, this serves to drop the flank a little and make the calf appear deeper sided, never loin on the profile unless your calf roaches its back, remember we want a square level top on the profile.  I think those are the 2 biggest mistakes I see.  We do a good job of teaching showmen what to do, but not necessarily why they are doing it, thus they often do it at the wrong time or when not necessary. The main thing is to know your calf inside out, know whats good about them to really show off, and whats bad about them that you might want to underplay.  Also make sure your know all of your calf's quirks, just like people, all cattle will have an off day.  If you know your heifer is having an off day and isnt gonna set up just perfect, then pick what you think is the best you will get her, and leave her.  Dont spend the entire time in the ring fighting to get a calf perfect that isnt going to do it that day, a judge can never get an adequate view of a calf that you are constantly moving.
I hope this helps some, good luck with your heifer!
 

american honey

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Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
352
Location
Indiana
My advice is be confident!! Go in there and own that ring! Everytime before I go into the ring for showmanship, I watch a couple classes...this way you find out what the judge likes and dosent like. Learn about the parts if your steer, what it eats, whats in the feed, how much you feed it. what feed dose for the animals stuff like that... GOOD LUCK :)) Dont ever give up!!!!!! Kick some ass and take names!!
 

hevmando

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Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
180
Location
Ruskin, MN
SASFU thanks for the info.  Being a rookie parent to cattle shows, your points made a lot of sense.  It tells me to teach the kids to see how each action with the halter or stick makes each calf react and use it accordingly.  A showmanship workshop should bring out these points, unfortunately they often cover the generic "practice, practice, practice" but rookies don't know how to practice properly. 
 

gobigorgohome

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Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
60
SFASU: i went to yalls show this previous weekened. I can honestly say i poured my heart out in showmanship and i was first to be pulled for the final heat if that tells you anything. i felt good and so did my heifer she stopped into profile everytime i hardly ever touched her and she always had an alert look to her. i really thought we had it down. he asked us what out heifers ages were i confidentally said 11months because i was prepared and i know everyhting about her by heart....and dundundun he ruffeled up her hair.....i didnt have a scotch comb. i didnt win but after the show i shook his hand and he told me i was less than a hair from winning if only i had my scotch comb.

I can honestly say i can get pretty cocky. my heifer is physco she is juuust right. she absolutly LOVES to show and she walks like a cat.....when she does walk :) and something tells me that she is pretty cocky herslef but my only problem is is that i forget the little things like a comb for example. i just would like to know the little things like ive heard my hair needs to up and out of my face and my show stick needs to be black or silver. things like that that go a loooong way.

thank you everyone for the wonderful advise i will embrace it and "show" with it.
 

Bradenh

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Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
2,646
Location
Central Texas
wow way to go <party> guess what. i bet next time you wont leave the comb in the box and will remember those things and you will win it. thats the best way to learn somethings, the hard way and congrats again.
 

3dfarms

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Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
266
Location
North Carolina
Glad you felt good about the show.  Just remember there is a difference between confident and cocky. 

Never go in the ring without a comb, even if you have to have one in each pocket on the way to the ring to remember......just remember to relax and have a good time and that will help take care of the little things.

Best of luck in the next show!
 

SFASUshowman

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Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
200
gobigorgohome said:
....and dundundun he ruffeled up her hair.....i didnt have a scotch comb. i didnt win but after the show i shook his hand and he told me i was less than a hair from winning if only i had my scotch comb.

I thought you had it won to when he pulled you into the final line up...and I cringed when I noticed you didnt have a comb when he ruffled her hair...but dont feel to bad...I think it was great to be pulled in that top 5 because in that class of 15 there were about 10 of you who could have gotten there just from watching you show...now I didnt ask the questions or here the answers, but from just watching it was a very tough class, you did a really good job.  But yeah the little things like always have a comb(or rag if you have brahman cattle) in your pocket, for the girls anytime you walk into any showring for any species(cattle, hogs, goats, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, rabits, chickens, guinea pigs, hamsters, whatever) you should always have your hair pulled up away from your face, never take a cell phone in a show ring, guys NEVER wear a cap in the showring(in your class this weekend there was a guy who could of won it, but forgot he had his cap on until about halfway through the class as which point he threw it over the fence, lol), I dont personally think showstick color is a biggy, but always make sure everything you go in the ring with is in good shape and clean, that included you and your clothes.

But good job this weekend, if you show  like that all the time you have nothing to be ashamed of.  Nice Limi heifer to by the way!
 

nobody

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Joined
Nov 6, 2010
Messages
182
Location
East Texas
Not trying to hijack your post, but I have a question for the "non-rookies" if you get bumped by someone that has an unruly animal and you have to walk out and then they pull up in your spot where do you go?? Do you cover them up, that seems rude.  This happened at the SFA show sat during senior showmanship.  There was someone who should have pulled up and didn't and a unruly steer bumped everyone around him,  the person in between walked out to reset, the steer pulled up, leaving the one in between with no where to go.  What should she have done?  I hope this question makes sense....thanks.
 

Bradenh

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Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
2,646
Location
Central Texas
yeah you cover them up. . take about 2 steps up and block them out. it isnt enough to look arrogant but its enough to make that other guy either get lost or set his calf up crooked and out of line. its dirty in showmanship. senior showmanship especially
 

gobigorgohome

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Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
60
Ive been covered up before by a huuuuge Brahman! (like she already didn't stick out)....and BTW this was on purpose. so i pulled out and pulled out and covered her and the front end of her calf.

but yes i think anyone should in that circumstance
 
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