Am I Getting Old...Love No Fit Shows

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cdcccfite

Active member
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
40
I am not refering to a blow and show.  I am making reference to a slick show.  In my opinion the people that can afford the high dollar steer going into the year are going to have a good one hair or slick.  The only reason I perfer a fitted or hair show is the kid that has worked hard and has a fit calf can hide some of the imperfections on a a calf that may not have cost 10K going in.
 

justintime

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Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
Herefordfootball, yes, it is supposed to be a show of market steers, and they are " supposed' to be judged on their carcass qualities as well as their eye appeal, thickness, lack of excess trim, etc etc. I think where this thing has gone off the rails is that several years ago, so some unknown reason, structural soundness was almost forgotten about. I always find it interesting, that I find more judges forget about structure in the market steer classes, but often will mention soundness issues in the market heifer classes. If a market steer doesn't need to be sound, then why does a market heifer?

In my opinion, it is impossible to judge a market steer show, without a judge giving considerable consideration on carcass qualities, even if they don't mention it in their comments. Yes it is a show, and that is great, but it should be a show of market qualities in a show, rather than just a freak show.

I don't see as many steer shows as most of you do each year, but I have seen many in my days. I agree with many of the placings I see. I could agree more if a little more emphasis was placed on structural issues.

I will always remember the late Joe Lewis, of Alfalfa Lawn Farms, judging the market steers in Denver several years ago. The championship class came out into the ring, and it was an impressive group of steers. In his comments he made special emphasis on the carcass qualities he thought each steer had. One of the steers was being shown by a very attractive girl wearing  tight, bright red jeans. At the conclusion of his comments, Joe Lewis said," I am now going to go and slap my Champion steer in today's show. I noticed"her" the moment she walked into the ring." He then walked over and slapped the steer being led by the girl in the red jeans.

I have always said that in a very close class of cattle,  the animal being shown by a good looking girl always has a major advantage over a teen age boy. Even if the judge thinks he is being totally fair, the girl will almost always have a physiological advantage. She has even more advantage, if the boy is wearing jeans with the crotch just slightly above his knees. I have seen this happen so often. As they say, perception is 9/10ths of reality.
 

herefordfootball

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Apr 10, 2009
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1,912
Location
Northern, Indiana
justintime, I am really with you there, especially on the fact that they dont put enought emphasis on structure even at the terminal shows. And the same with the market heifers, if the steers dont walk why should the heifers?.

If a steer that cant walk gets a high placing, chances are the breeder of that calf is going to use that win in his next sale ad, and chances are he's gonna have a full sib or half sib in that ad.   So what if this full sib to so and so champion market steer cant walk? Then you get a female that isnt gonna produce as long as a sound one would, and then you are losing money because you cant keep females in the pasture long enough to pay off their donor dam. Not saying this always the situation or even the outcome, but I think 9 times out of ten it is. And if we pick steers that cant walk to win, then we are basically promoting unsound cattle, which is not the way this industry wants to go.

Chris
 

justintime

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Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
I was in a show supply and feed business today, and the manager asked me if I knew of anyone who was wanting to purchase some paint and glue for the fall show season. He told me that he had received a letter from Agriculture Canada officials stating that they had deemed glues and paints used in fitting, to be hazardous products. At this point in time, he said that they are going to allow businesses to sell their inventory, however, they can no longer display them on their shelves in the stores.Once their inventories are sold out they will not allow them to sell any more. I can see a major underground situation arrising, however, I am also hearing that more and more major shows are talking of imposing complete bans of all glue and paints.

The man I was talking to said that he had just received a shipment of these products from Sullivan's and he now wishes he had not received it yet. He also said that the letter he received stated that some of the products contained known carcingens ( cancer causing agents) and that they are being tested further,by Occupational health and welfare officials,and Agriculture Canada  and that a complete ban may be coming if they testing provides more proof of this. It is going to be more than a little interesting to see where this leads...........
 

herefordfootball

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Joined
Apr 10, 2009
Messages
1,912
Location
Northern, Indiana
Thats pretty scary, but I think probaly pretty much all the aerosols and paints have cancer causing products in them. Just one of the top of my head Tail Adhesive: It says on the back of the can this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer. I wouldnt mind no paint or glue shows, but I really like fitting the calves with them.

Canada gets the U.S cheap prescription drugs and the U.S can get Canada cheap aerosols and paint. Hmmmm....  ::) Maybe we can come to some sort of an agreement.  ::)
 

justintime

Well-known member
Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
herefordfootball said:
Thats pretty scary, but I think probaly pretty much all the aerosols and paints have cancer causing products in them. Just one of the top of my head Tail Adhesive: It says on the back of the can this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer. I wouldnt mind no paint or glue shows, but I really like fitting the calves with them.

Canada gets the U.S cheap prescription drugs and the U.S can get Canada cheap aerosols and paint. Hmmmm....  ::) Maybe we can come to some sort of an agreement.  ::)

While we are making some agreements.... how be we come to another agreement.. we will trade you Quebec for Alaska and Hawaii.... I think that is a great deal!!!!!

On the topic of cheap perscription drugs.... that is another strange area of discussion. If anyone can explain how these drugs are priced, I would like to hear the reasoning....

A few weeks ago, I had a phone call from a cattleman in Nebraska who said he wanted to come for a visit. He said that he comes across the border into Canada twice a year, and purchases his drugs for Diabetes. He can purchase them here for 10% of what it costs him in Nebraska. He also said that these drugs are made in the same place in the US, are in the same bottles. He said it is well worth the 14 hour drive each way to buy these drugs up here.

There are many other examples that defy common sense. Last spring, we renovated part of the house and added another bathroom off the front entrance. We purchased all the bathroom fixtures in Minot ND for less than 1/2 of what we could purchase them here. When we were installing them, we noticed that every item was stamped " Made in Canada". A good friend of ours, has a large plumbing business here, said that he is buying most of his bathroom fixtures in the US because he can buy them cheaper there retail, than he can buy them here wholesale. In every case they are all stamped " Made in Canada". There are many other examples of this, on both sides of the border.
 

worthabit

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Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
601
Location
prince edward island Canada
justintime said:
herefordfootball said:
Thats pretty scary, but I think probaly pretty much all the aerosols and paints have cancer causing products in them. Just one of the top of my head Tail Adhesive: It says on the back of the can this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer. I wouldnt mind no paint or glue shows, but I really like fitting the calves with them.

Canada gets the U.S cheap prescription drugs and the U.S can get Canada cheap aerosols and paint. Hmmmm....  ::) Maybe we can come to some sort of an agreement.  ::)

While we are making some agreements.... how be we come to another agreement.. we will trade you Quebec for Alaska and Hawaii.... I think that is a great deal!!!!!

On the topic of cheap perscription drugs.... that is another strange area of discussion. If anyone can explain how these drugs are priced, I would like to hear the reasoning....

A few weeks ago, I had a phone call from a cattleman in Nebraska who said he wanted to come for a visit. He said that he comes across the border into Canada twice a year, and purchases his drugs for Diabetes. He can purchase them here for 10% of what it costs him in Nebraska. He also said that these drugs are made in the same place in the US, are in the same bottles. He said it is well worth the 14 hour drive each way to buy these drugs up here.

There are many other examples that defy common sense. Last spring, we renovated part of the house and added another bathroom off the front entrance. We purchased all the bathroom fixtures in Minot ND for less than 1/2 of what we could purchase them here. When we were installing them, we noticed that every item was stamped " Made in Canada". A good friend of ours, has a large plumbing business here, said that he is buying most of his bathroom fixtures in the US because he can buy them cheaper there retail, than he can buy them here wholesale. In every case they are all stamped " Made in Canada". There are many other examples of this, on both sides of the border.
Speaking of Quebec, I heard that it was a CFIA worker in Quebec that noticed the ingredients on the glue cans and started the ball rolling. I was under the impression that it was the quick drying glues used by the dairy boys that were the problem.
 

earl

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
41
First I would like to say that I love fit shows and my kids love to clip and fit, but if the products we are using are going to cause problems to my kids health then we need to look at it.  I hope nobody would want health problems.  Next the slick show in Texas did not come about because of trying to make it more even for everybody.  The slick and no fit at Houston were brought about by the fire marshall and the electrical supply in the old astro hall.  Houston decide to fix the problem to going to no fit and slick instead of millions of dollars on updates or limiting the amount of cattle in the barn.  I remember a friend of mine saying it will never last and its been 20 years plus years.  At our county fair the champion steer has been out of a cooler the last 5 years I know, no it does not grow hair but it sure helps hold it till April.  WE show both ways and to tell you the truth in Jan- March the fit shows are fun but June thru Oct  I like the blow and go. 
 
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