Our fair kicked around the idea of going to a slick show 3 years ago, at the time there were probably 4 or 5 families bringing cooler calves to the fair. Their cattle were always winning and people complained that they won because of the hair, hair was not the reason better calves where the reason, we were always ending up 2nd in our class because, we would be behind one of these better calves. Our calves where good just not as good. In our area if the family is going to spend the money on a cooler they are also going to spend the time and money to buy quality cattle. This last year there where only 2 families who had coolers, they finished 1 and 2 was it the hair no just good cattle. The grand was destined for state but for some reason they did not get paperwork or something turned in so county they we come. The calf that one was so good it would you would have had to work hard to ruin him. The other 3 did not do as well because it is not only they money spent on the cattle, you need to know how to feed, hold and keep them fresh, plus if you buy cool looking calves with structural faults they do not get better with time and weight. The 2nd family, with a cooler, knows how to feed and get the calves to reach their potential. They where reserve this year (they only brought 1 head)with a calf that was not the best doing calf but they worked hard and did everything right to get him there at his best. Last year they brought 2 head = grand and reserve.
The people who where complaining about hair only wins would still be complaining had we gone to a slick show, inferior cattle are still inferior with or with out hair, and by inferior I mean cattle that are not even good commercial cattle, poor doing cattle that would be discounted by the packers. We have not had a calf receive a red ribbon in the last 5 years, red ribbons do not make the sell. Half of these calves need 2 to 3 months more feed before slaughter.
The people who where complaining about hair only wins would still be complaining had we gone to a slick show, inferior cattle are still inferior with or with out hair, and by inferior I mean cattle that are not even good commercial cattle, poor doing cattle that would be discounted by the packers. We have not had a calf receive a red ribbon in the last 5 years, red ribbons do not make the sell. Half of these calves need 2 to 3 months more feed before slaughter.