Show-man-ship Pointers

[MotoMojo09]

Hi everyone!!!
My fair is this week and I was wondering about showmanship?
I know you need to walk where they need you.
And set up quickly, and always know where your judge is, but thats pretty much it.
Any pointers???
Anything that will make me stand out??
Thanks!!!

 

[Silver]

I see a lot of first time showman that are overly eager and move to fast or in jerky motions. A lot of judges just like all your movements to be calm, controlled, and smooth.

 

[shortyjock89]

Hi everyone!!!
My fair is this week and I was wondering about showmanship?
I know you need to walk where they need you.
And set up quickly, and always know where your judge is, but thats pretty much it.
Any pointers???
Anything that will make me stand out??
Thanks!!!

The point of showmanship is to be pretty much invisible. I mean that you shouldn't stand out.  Getting your calf set up correctly and quickly, leading the calf the proper speed (which is calf-specific),making sure the judge can see your calf, and paying attention at all times are the most important things.  The best thing you can do is practice every day to get your calf used to walking into place and holding their head up without a lot of effort on your part.  And don't forget to have fun! You don't need to grin like a goon, but at least look like you want to be there!

 

[Telos]

Watching other showmen is a great way of learning. Look to see how smooth and controlled the good showman are and also see what someone that shows poorly is doing. Showmanship encompasses many different aspects and is very competitive. Don't be afraid of criticism and try to find someone who can help coach you. The fine details are the things that will separate you from the pack. Practice.

 

[braunvieh]

I agree with being calm and smooth. Young kids and beginners tend to rub with the show stick so fast they practically saw them open, so be conscious of that and slow down.  Also, smile and have fun!!! But, don't make it fake.
You need to know the information on your animal, age, wt, feed ration, etc. The higher the level, the more in depth the questions get. I have noticed that even if your animal doesn't cooperate with you, how you handle it makes all the difference.

 

[mcgrewcc]

Also make sure that if you ever need to turn around or pull out and walk around to "start over" setting your calf up....DO NOT TRY TO MAKE YOUR CALF TURN ON A DIME!!! They are large animals and need room. Before you actually move look to see if there is room to circle around or something of that nature! There is nothing worse than one calf/showman ruining a good stand for the rest of the class And oh yes...HAVE FUN!!

 

[rackranch]

Practice and know ahead of time what your gonna do if you you get stuck or stopped in the corner of the arena... I would either put your calf at a 45 deg angle or stop short of the turn and set up...

 

[kanshow]

All of the above.. PLUS, not only watch the judge but be aware of what is going on around you in the ring.