Showmanship

[Cattle showman]

OK, i was wondering if you are supposed to take a Cow calf pair to Showmanship? Or can you even do that??

 

[iowabeef]

I would check the rules of your competition.  I would think that if that is the only animal you have at the show, they would allow it....but I would think you would either only take the cow or the calf in the ring as they are judging the showman and not the pair. 

 

[SheilAnneDavis]

At our fairs if they are all you have to show, you grab either the cow or the calf and hope they don't go bonkers being separated.

If you have time I'd choose which you plan to use well before hand and make sure you work with them away from the other half of the pair. Generally it seems the cow wants to turn circles the whole class trying to find the calf, and the person showing just has to do their best with an animal that isn't going to cooperate for them that day.

 

[Ms Ray]

my son wanted to show his calf but was not able to because it was a bull, a few years ago he tried to show his cow but she went bonkers and tried to go for the gate everytime she got near it.

 

[leanbeef]

Some classes are listed as "beef Heifer Showmanship" or "Beef Steer Showmanship" but if the class is just Beef Showmanship, i would think you have a case to show one or the other. As was mentioned, work with them separately at home & keep them separated sometimes so neither of them gets anxious or nervous when they ARE separated at the show. Good luck!

 

[iowabeef]

Not to hijack the thread but in all honestly I think showmanship classes are silly.  A few years ago our fair had a group of people watch the show and consult with the judge after each class for showmanship during the actual show verses a seperate class.  I know a lot of judges in their remarks talk about the champion showman as someone who had done well showing all day.  So why have a seperate class?

 

[vc]

In reply to iowebeef, I think a judge should be judging the animal in the market or breeding classes class, and the exhibitor in the showmanship class. I also feel that you should take every advantage of showing you can, there is a reason the person who wins showmanship did a good job showing in their earlier classes, I will also bet their animal did well too. Practice, practice, practice, I know that the better my sons did at showmanship the better their calves seemed to do in market.

 

[leanbeef]

I actually agree with u, iowabeef... We used to have two showmanship judges who watched every class during our district 4-H show & decided which two showmen would represent our district in the state showmanship class. Since they stopped doing it that way, it takes FOREVER to work thru showmanship classes at both district AND state. Some kids turn it on for showmanship class because they know they're being watched and judged. I judge showmanship like I'm choosing the person i'd want leading one of mine if I had a calf in the ring.