Slick shows??

[Jacob B]

I need some help from all of you out there on the subject of "slick" shows.  Pros and Cons.  I am a fairly new beef superintendant at our local 4-H fair.  And as you all know, when someones kid doesn't win, that someone cries until they think they can change the rules to benifit there kid. 
I have always been a firm believer that if a kid puts in the time and works there butt off, it SHOULD be an advantage to them.  The county we are in doesn't have that many higher end steers that show up.  There are kids that work very hard to make them look as good as they can.  I am willing to help teach any of the kids whatever I know, even if it isn't very much.  The local breeders support the fair well and most of the steers that show up there are from local breeders.  Will those local breeders have to change there breeding programs to keep there steers competative?  I am not a steer breeder, and will probably never be if I can help it.  Terminal cattle just aren't my thing.  So, I need your help.  I have heard a lot of breeders talk negatively about the situation and I want to know as much as possible about the pos. and neg. of it.

 

[farmboy]

keep it haired.

 

[afhm]

Let all the exhibitors vote what they want by paper ballot what they want for the next year's show.  CAn't change horses mid-stream so vite and decision must be done before people buy their calves for the next year.

 

[SlickTxMaine]

Our show is slick, so that is all I know.  Is the concern with your show that professional fitters are doing the fitting and not the kids/family?  I like the slick show because what you see if what you get.....no hair to dress it up and disguise things.  There are still ways I know to "alter" a slick steer.  When this person's child does not win the slick show, they will find something else to complain about.  I don't know about the breeding side, but I wouldn't think it would make a difference.  Make sure rules changes are for the majority, not just one or two.  Good luck!

 

[HT]

I like haired shows most of the time. I do enjoy the slick state fair steer shows though. Which they just changed the rules to haired..

 

[stangs13]

What you can do is make it to were the kids have to fit there own animals. People who win the hair shows will win the slick shows too. Some calves won't work slicked.

 

[chiangus]

If it is just a local fair, I say keep the hair.  O0  People are going to complain either way and having kids learning to completely fit cattle is a good experience.

I think the draw of slick shows is when you are hosting a show and want to attract more people to show, not on a county level.

 

[Jacob B]

Thanks for all the help so far, keep them coming please.  afhm, I am pretty sure if the kids were to vote they would just want to keep it the same.  From my understanding, it's just one father on the fair board the his daughter didn't win.  She wasn't even competative if I remember correctly.  He has quite a bit of money and that's what counts around here, not what the majority wants.  I just want to be able to shine a little light on the both sides at the meeting.  SlicktxMaine, fitters are not an issue to my knowledge.  You have to be a 4-H leader, or immediate family to do any fitting or clipping.  I helped kids out on both sides of these folks and they never asked for any help.  Stangs13, to my knowledge, doesn't it take more of a harder featured Char. based to compete at a high leve at those shows.  What works best???

 

[NJ Farms]

I need some help from all of you out there on the subject of "slick" shows.  Pros and Cons.  I am a fairly new beef superintendant at our local 4-H fair.  And as you all know, when someones kid doesn't win, that someone cries until they think they can change the rules to benifit there kid. 
I have always been a firm believer that if a kid puts in the time and works there butt off, it SHOULD be an advantage to them.  The county we are in doesn't have that many higher end steers that show up.  There are kids that work very hard to make them look as good as they can.  I am willing to help teach any of the kids whatever I know, even if it isn't very much.  The local breeders support the fair well and most of the steers that show up there are from local breeders.  Will those local breeders have to change there breeding programs to keep there steers competative?  I am not a steer breeder, and will probably never be if I can help it.  Terminal cattle just aren't my thing.  So, I need your help.  I have heard a lot of breeders talk negatively about the situation and I want to know as much as possible about the pos. and neg. of it.

  Dumb question but what exactly is a slick show, I'm not familiar with that terminology. 

 

[farmboy]

sheers + calf = slick show.

 

[SSIMMENTALS]

For me, taking the hair issue away will make me much less inclined to work with my calves. It takes a lot of time and effort to grow hair. I love the hair, so I put in the effort. While I'm brushing, blowing, and rinsing my calves, I am also training them so they will act better at the show. They are much calmer at shows because they get worked with so much. If  I didn't have the goal of growing hair, I don't think I would put in quite as much time with them. Just a thought, but the hair care is a great motivator to work extra with the calves. I like haired shows because it gives you more of an opportunity to learn. You don't just have to find a great calf, but you also have to take better care of him, learn to fit and clip, and work for every inch of extra hair. I say the ONE person with the problem is being a very sore looser that needs an excuse to why he didn't place higher. He wants to change the entire club to fit what he thinks will help him do better. I don't think he's out for the best interest of the group but is out to help himself not place any higher than he would have anyway. No matter how he tries to change things, usually the same person(s) is going to be on top. We have the same proble with bitter people in my county always wanting to  make excuses and change things. If he wants to win, he needs to spend the energy he is using to complain and put it towards finding high quality cattle and taking care of them properly. JMO

 

[simtal]

communist idea

From my understanding, it's just one father on the fair board the his daughter didn't win.  She wasn't even competative if I remember correctly.  He has quite a bit of money and that's what counts around here, not what the majority wants.  

Remember the golden rule:

whoever has the gold, makes the rules

 

[shortdawg]

If it is a terminal show why not show them haired then slick them all and have another show. Then the haired lovers will have their day and the slick lovers will have theirs.

 

[DLD]

If it is a terminal show why not show them haired then slick them all and have another show. Then the haired lovers will have their day and the slick lovers will have theirs.

Now there's an idea.  I wonder if anyone's ever actually tried that?  Would be pretty interesting to see how that worked out...

 

[box6rranch]

My daughter has been showing steers and heifers for 8 years now. I 100% agree with what SSIMMENTALS said! Slick shows are the lazy way out for a 4-H project. We are competitive and show in other shows than county fair every year. We work with our cattle. We had a kid come up to us last year at county fair and ask for our help this year. We said of course. He got a steer and a heifer from his dad's heard. Crossbred, not terrific but not the bottom of the pile either. We continued to "teach" him and council him throughout the year. When it came down to 60 days before fair he hadn't worked with their hair at all, they looked like crap. We continued to harp at him on what to do. They were fed o.k. though. Came to fair and placed dead last in their classes. Guess who's father is on the bandwagon to slick shear????

 

[shortyjock89]

If they ever go to slick shows around here, we will never show another steer again.  I'd also be out of most of my summer income.....

 

[doublestuff]

keep the hair. Hard work should be rewarded. Those willing to get up early and get their calves out of the sun and under fans and rinse and blow at least once a day should reap the benefits of what a good hair coat can provide.  As far as slicking goes I am from Texasand I can tell you there are diferences in the types of cattle. Some are born to show w hair and some are born to slick. RARLEY is there one that is a GREAT one that can fit both bills. So yes your breeders would have to make some adjustments.

 

[Jacob B]

Any other thought or opinions???  Thanks for everything so far.

 

[JSchroeder]

Keep the hair and require the kid (and only the kid) to fit the calf.

 

[box6rranch]

Keep the hair and require the kid (and only the kid) to fit the calf.

Don't you think that's pretty limiting to the showman? What are they suppose to do if they've worked all year to raise multiple head of nice cattle that they want to show? Our county fair everything shows the same day starting at 4:00 and goes through all classes of beef till we are done. With that philosophy our daughter couldn't show half of what she works 364 days a year with.
You want the kids to have the skills? I couldn't agree with you more. But I personally think that they should be able to test out of each category just like the horse kids do. Leave the kids, family, leaders alone the day of show and let them be proud of what they've raised. JMHO