New experience for a Beef Showman

[oakbar]

My daughter agreed to take her friend's Supreme Champion Dairy cow through the ring for the Ribbon Sale on Monday evening.  She said it was a whole new experience--walking backwards with the cows head higher than your shoulder.  She had a great time doing it, though. 

 

[clubcalve]

That is great that she is exploring all breeds and having fun with it all

 

[herefordfootball]

I showed a dairy heifer for a friend at the county fair once. My dad took a picture, but I got rid of it so it didnt go public!!! Just kiddin'  (lol) but really the picture is long gone It was kinda neat to show a dairy animal, I really couldnt get into the whole walking backwards thing,(nearly tripped a couple times), but other than that it was neat.

 

[forbes family farms]

I wish someday that i could experience showing a dairy cow, everbody i know says it's a lot more fun that showing a beef cow.

 

[jlingle]

Okay.... I'll bite.  Why on earth would you walk backwards?

 

[herefordfootball]

Okay.... I'll bite.  Why on earth would you walk backwards?

I asked myself that same question before I walked in the show ring and was like WHY!!!???

 

[Jace]

My friend's show dairy heifers. I am almost positive that you walk backwards because you don't have a stick like you do for beef, and it is sort of hard to hold their head at your shoulder while walking forwards. You have to also think that they set their legs up completely different than beef cattle. They are focused on the udder, so they place their feet accordingly. I am pretty sure this is why. I may be wrong.

 

[TMJ Show Cattle]

That is an awesome Swiss cow there Oakbar!  I am fortunate enough to have daughters who can cross over to the dairy showmanship as easily as the beef showmanship categories.  My oldest daughter was champion showman in both dairy and beef.  The reason for walking backward, to those of you who have asked, is to have control over the animal. A dairy animal is walked very slowly with her head held high.  I look at it as being "graceful".  A Cow is set up with her back leg to the judge forward so he can see both fore and rear udder.  The dairy heifer is set up with the back leg to the judge BACK so he can see the whole udder .  I've clipped alot of dairy animals in my lifetime, and I must admit, it is a WHOLE lot easier than clipping beef cattle! 

Nice picture Oakbar!  Hope they had a great time at the fair!

Carrie