First Show-One week, advice?

[Weaverv3]

The first show I will be taking my steers to is in a week. I have been working with them. Alot. But I am having a few issues. One, they are calm, however, they don't like to set up. Honestly, I have never been good working with a stick! Two, my smallest steer is solid black. However, he has a brown tint to him. I have been brushing like crazy with a shedding brush to try and get the dead hair out. For the most part it is working well, but it is very tedious. Is there another, faster way to get that tint out with out dying?

 

[flacowman]

if the show allows paint then you can paint the black calf, otherwise he'll just have to be a little brown, which isn't the end of the world.  On the stick Issues that's just something you'll have to work on.  My advice is to work as long as you and your cattle can stand every day but back off some 3 days before your show so they aren't irritable

 

[AAOK]

Mix some Hair Dye into your daily care product, such as Kleen Sheen.  Spray on the red areas show day before you begin fitting.  It will dry, and look as if you had dyed the entire calf.

 

[E Show Cattle]

Start combing the calf with dead hair with a grill cleaning block it will remove the dead hair with ease

 

[SlickTxMaine]

Train your steers to walk into place, therefore you will only have to use your stick minimally, if at all on the feet.  I have been trying to teach my son to do this for the past 2-3 yrs.  He was not interested, did not think it was necessary.  His last steer however hated having his feet touched with the stick.  From day one, unti the end, he just didn't like it.  Guess what??  My son worked with him to walk into place and set up on his own-- he won showmanship at our show!  It's actually not that difficult to do. 

 

[vc]

Dye the hair before you go to the show, but do not leave it in. We mix the dye in a fogger and then fog it on, comb in and then rinse out after it sets for 20 minutes.

As far as setting up, we have found that if you work on setting them up before you kick them out in the evening, they figure out that the faster they do what you want the faster they get to be turned loose. After a couple weeks of this they set up in no time at all. You definitely want to work on leading them into position, it saves you allot of time and frustration if they stop setup instead of having to place all your feet with the stick.

Each calf has a place they like to be scratched, for some it is the belly others it is the brisket, try and find your animals sweet spot, it really helps in the ring. The last 2 years my son has had steers that step into the right position and he found the spot they liked scratched with the stick (to the point you could drop or remove the halter and they would not move as long as you still had the stick on them) He won senior showmanship both those years.

like everything else with calves, it all takes time and work to get them where they need to be.

 

[Weaverv3]

Train your steers to walk into place, therefore you will only have to use your stick minimally, if at all on the feet.  I have been trying to teach my son to do this for the past 2-3 yrs.  He was not interested, did not think it was necessary.  His last steer however hated having his feet touched with the stick.  From day one, unti the end, he just didn't like it.  Guess what??  My son worked with him to walk into place and set up on his own-- he won showmanship at our show!  It's actually not that difficult to do. 

I love walking them into place. It just seems more natural. But at my last show the judge said I didnt use the stick enough. Some judges confuse me lol. I have been working with them so far around an hour in the A.M then again in the P.M. They are coming along nicely. I think they will do okay, I am just worried

 

[vc]

You said it is their first show, so i am guessing you are going to more than one with these animals, the first show is a good place to find out what you need to work on for the next one.

Go have fun and good luck