How can people justify buying a steer for $25,000?

[heatherleblanc]

I am seriously curious about this.  I can understand when someone puts $50,000 into an outstanding female because she can be flushed and you can get multiple offspring out of these cows that will then sell, making you your money back.

But I have never understood steers that sell for $10,000 to $50,000.  How do they make their money back, how do they justify spending that money, because even in the big shows, with all the feed and time and show costs, I don't understand how it would be possible for them to ever make their money back??

 

[chambero]

Because its not about making a profit.

 

[heatherleblanc]

Will they make any of it back, or is just a hobby? 

 

[okiegirl]

Because its not about making a profit.

Amen.  It's all for glory and bragging rights

 

[AAOK]

Exactly!!  Those who are truly In It To Win It are solely focused on the Purple.  Prize money is certainly a plus, but not the goal.

However, it is always a thrill to see the High $$$ calves fall to one Bred & Owned!

 

[Ohio1]

Win a state fair or major make a life long memory and triple your money or even more

 

[bryan6807]

After you accumulate/build wealth, next is ego. its all ego

 

[knabe]

more power to them.

why do people get so upset how people spend their money?

these rich calves help the whole industry

why is is so hard to see.

maybe read atlas shrugged or if it's too long, watch who is john galt or read the fountainhead before they are burned.

 

[DakotaCow]

Why do people have 250,000 dollar sports cars? It's all the same, spend your money how you want.

 

[Steer4Caddy]

When I was showing my parents got me started but then it was my checkbook and financial lesson.  I was lucky and paid for my college by showing steers.  I guess I'm glad that those calves bring that kind of money but I do have a tough time selling them if I know they can't possibly make the money back.  Not that we sell any that high but I'm content with those calves going to people that can make money on them.  I think that should be the goal and it's certainly what I'm going to teach my kids. 

We are fortunate in Texas that the shows are so well supported and people can give quite a bit for steers in certain situations, but in my opinion, it should be about teaching the kids wortk ethic and financial responsibility. 

 

[knabe]

nothing like losing money to teach a lesson.

 

[justintime]

Unfortunately, showing steers is often not about making a profit or even breaking even. It is no different than many other things in life. Does it make any sense when a football player signs a $40 Million multi - year contract? Does it make any sense when a person gets over $10,000 of add- ons on a new truck.A lady near me, changed her sink taps for new ones that cost over $1500. Lots of things don't make much sense, but that is what makes the world go around.  It usually has nothing to do with the price of the steer but has more to do with how much money is in their bank accounts.

 

[ferkj]

It's called freedom.  And I'm glad i live in a country where you can do that and alot of other things.  While it may not make sense to you and alot of other people that's ok.  If they can sleep at night and aren't spending my my money then more power to them.  If you looked at all the things in life people spend their money on probably alot of it wouldn't make sense.  Sending your kid with 2 left feet for dancing lessons, buying a little league baseball player a 200.00 bat or political contributions to Obama.  The list goes on and on.  And because we can do those things in our country, on this Veterans Day thank a veteran for all their sacrifices.  Without them who knows what we could do or not.  <hero> 

 

[frostback]

Even when raising your own for show do you actually make a profit. I am raising kids not showing for profit. If you are doing this you will be dissapointed.

 

[DLD]

There are a few shows (or show seasons) out there that you can break even or even make something with a $25,000 steer if you win, and a few more that you can get your money back on a $10,000 one.  And there's plenty of $2500 ones that will never break even, win or lose.  When it's all said and done over a kid's show career, not many people make money.  Yes, lots of people will say showing put them through college, but in most cases that's because their family absorbed most if not all of the costs over the years.  Not that there's anything wrong with that - like frostback said, it's about raising kids.  And having fun while we're at it, I might add.  You can't put a price tag on that.

After that, it's pretty much just about how much you're willing to spend.  For some of the folks buying a $25,000 show steer, it takes every penny than scrape up, for others it's no big deal.  

You can pretty easily lose money on a $50,000 female, too.  Or a $5000 dollar one, for that matter...

 

[jason]

Even when raising your own for show do you actually make a profit. I am raising kids not showing for profit. If you are doing this you will be dissapointed.

;D I made a profit, but it was only because parents let me keep the sale money (pay no feed expenses) and I put it an account toward my college.  However we only showed $1000 - $1500 calves at the county level.

But, I agree with you, I learned a lot of lessons in my life by raising a show calf, not withstanding what I finished in the ring.

 

[cpratz]

You can still get a steer that will potentially win a minor breed at a state fair for around 3000-4000 dollars. What gets me is when you have a 15000 dollar steer sitting 4th in the heat class and then only gets like 2500 dollars in the sale opposed to the minor breed champion steers get like 4500 dollars. At least that's what I have seen here at Tulsa State Fair and OYE in Oklahoma.

 

[afhm]

You know everyone like to complain about people paying high prices for their show cattle except the ones cashing the checks. But the truth of the matter is everyone of us out there would spend a lot of money on our family's show cattle admittedly or not if we were fortunate enough to be in a financial position to do so.

 

[gbart]

I will say that if anyone is in it for the money they are in it for the wrong reasons. It is about the kids learning and building family memories. One could take  the money spent on cattle and easily go to Vegas and gamble it away without their kids involved but then what do the kids learn. I guess my one of my complaints is when a person gives that kind of money for a steer and they are told the steer is sound and within 30 days of purchasing the steer you find out it has a hereditary degenerative bone disease and has to be put down. The kid is out the steer and time and money and then the person who sold you the steer doesnt even try to make it right. They gladly sell you another steer and collect another check from you. NOt saying that everyone who sells steers is this way but there are some and I dont think it is right.

 

[frostback]

Even when raising your own for show do you actually make a profit. I am raising kids not showing for profit. If you are doing this you will be dissapointed.

;D I made a profit, but it was only because parents let me keep the sale money (pay no feed expenses) and I put it an account toward my college.  However we only showed $1000 - $1500 calves at the county level.

But, I agree with you, I learned a lot of lessons in my life by raising a show calf, not withstanding what I finished in the ring.

Yes my kids think it is profitable, they both have  bank accounts thanks to selling calves at fair. I could have taken the checks but would still have to shell it out for a first car and collage but this way they did EARN it? We always tell our kids not worry about a summer job that the calves are just that. How hard they work will determine how nice of truck they can get for the first one.