Calf Scambles??

[SKF]

I have seen on youtube videos of calf scambles and would like to know more about how they work. We are looking for some ideas for our county fair to help get kids back involved and thought if the kids could win a calf in a scamble that it would be an incentive to get some kids back involved if they don't have to pay for a calf.  Talked to some people today who would be interested in donating calves. I would just like to hear from others on how they work, what kind of rules and anything else. Thank you!!

 

[Show Heifer]

Our fair used to have calf scrambles, and though out the years it had changed, then finally it was stopped due to liability.

Years ago:  The county cattleman got calves about 500 pound heifer calves from one farm. These calves were weaned but nothing else. Absolutely not gentle or halter broke. Then each kid got a rope halter.  The calves were released into the show ring, and the goal was to catch a calf, halter it, then drag it to the "finish line". If you accomplished that, you kept the calf, then it was REQUIRED to bring that heifer back the following year as a bred heifer. If it was not, it was returned to the cattlemans.
After many years, and a few injuries, the calves got smaller, and then you just had to tie them to the closest post along ringside. 
Then the calves got smaller yet, and after caught, the person drew a number. That number corresponded with a tag number to a larger heifer that was to be picked up at a later date (usually Nov-Dec)

I am not sure if the kids got to be too big of weanies, parents got sue happy, or the cattleman got tired, but the combination killed a jammed packed crowd during the scrambles (they also had a greased pig and lamb scramble), and a great program to get kids started.  The kids who participated always got a critter (sometimes after a bit of time, help was granted) and every kid walked around with a sense of pride, especially when showing the bruises, cuts and grime they EARNED.
What wonderful memories!

 

[3HFarms]

The one here at the snake river stampede works like this: 4H and FFA kids fill out an application and 40 are chosen. Those 40 come to a mandatory meeting and are split into 2 groups (one for tuesday night and one to perform at the saturday matinee). They are seperated by size/age to make it more fair. So on each night there are 20 kids lined up across the middle of the arena and from the end 10 roping calves are released. Each kid has been given a jersey type t-shirt, mouth gaurd and rope halter. The 10 kids that halter a calf and lead it across the line get a $1000 certificate to buy a heifer of their choice from a breeder of their choice and one certificate is given for a sportsmanship award (someone who helped other ppl get their calves) Then they bring their heifers back the next year for a show

 

[JSchroeder]

If you are talking about the Houston scramble that was posted last week…

In Texas, most of the major shows have a scramble program that pays $1,000 toward the purchase of a heifer to be brought back for the next year’s show.  There are 20-30 kids that scramble each performance and half as many calves.  Anybody who catches a calf, halters it, and brings it across the line wins a scramble certificate that has to be used before the next Nov-Dec. 

There’s no correlation between the calves that are used for the scramble and what you show.  The calves are typically small except for Houston where they like to be dicks and use big calves so they can laugh at children struggling. 

BTW, it’s a HUGE boost the purebred breeders.  There are no calf donations, they kids buy purebred heifers with the certificates.  They just give the breeder the certificate and seemingly between four and twenty months later the breeder gets a check from the shows.