Show ring ethics

[clipperlice]

Hey guys...I know this is a steer site, but this bears food for thought.  Link on to    www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3803781

Let me know what you think!?

 

[jason]

That is completely relevant.  People have gone to a win at all cost attitude and it can be seen why with the cash prizes getting bigger every year.  It has always been around, but I believe it is more prevalant now.  It is just like Bonds, who is juicing to hit more homeruns, be more famous, and make more money.

 

[jason]

Also some of the Parents will plop down 25 grand on a cattle, have a guy take care of it, and have there kid sit in the ring so they can collect cash and some prestige of winning the show.

 

[Farmer John]

I'm 65; been selling steers since i was 9 and the shows have really changed.  You get people going completely crazy over the $$$ their steers bring. I still have a lot fun though and I don't make it a huge deal how much my steers sell for. I meet my competitors, say hi to friends, and always have a good time. The thing is you have good shows and bads shows.

I take a lot of pride in raising my steer on my own. I put hours of work on my steer since the day they were  born.   I serously hope the drugging thing doesn't become a prroblem. It will take away all the good times people have.

 

[Taj]

I'm 65; been selling steers since i was 9 and the shows have really changed.  You get people going completely crazy over the $$ their steers bring. I still have a lot fun though and I don't make it a huge deal how much my steers sell for. I meet my competitors, say hi to friends, and always have a good time. The thing is you have good shows and bads shows.

I take a lot of pride in raising my steer on my own. I put hours of work on my steer since the day they were  born.   I serously hope the drugging thing doesn't become a prroblem. It will take away all the good times people have.

I'm with you all the way.

 

[clipperlice]

???....Well, with the super attorney that used to represent Timothy McVeigh, do you think the three 18 year olds will get off???  Their defense is going to say that the lambs were unsupervised the night after the sale.  Now I don't know about you guys, but do you really think someone is going to find all the lambs from OKLAHOMA and needle them to make the exhibitors look bad??  Dream on, I hardly think so.

 

[austin]

All of them are, in my opinion, 100% guilty.  Sadly, there's a good chance they're going to get away with it. If the National Western officials could have handled the situation better, there couldn't have been some criminal charges. All I see for the future is more strict security and testing at shows.

I seriously hope I'm wrong. :-\

 

[joe]

The whole thing angers me. I believe they will get caught. They has to be some way some sanctions will be taken against the competitors. I see life ban from shows and possibly jail ;D  because of animal cruelty.

 

[austin]

I'm with joe.  8)

 

[cowz]

Hey hold onto your hats, the National Western has a new format for how much money the juniors can hold onto.  Word on the street is that the big time fitters are ticked!  The winner has 50%of the sale amount put in an educational trust fund, only to be used for education.  The sale keeps 10% for scholarship fund and the winner can immediately have 40%.  Doesnt leave much to pay the hard core fitter!!!  HA  (Unless those 30 year old 4-Hers want to go to school later!  Ha!) 

 

[steerseller]

That's FUNNY.  ;D I had no idea.

 

[calfman]

Hey hold onto your hats, the National Western has a new format for how much money the juniors can hold onto.  Word on the street is that the big time fitters are ticked!  The winner has 50%of the sale amount put in an educational trust fund, only to be used for education.  The sale keeps 10% for scholarship fund and the winner can immediately have 40%.   Doesnt leave much to pay the hard core fitter!!!  HA  (Unless those 30 year old 4-Hers want to go to school later!  Ha!) 

I heard this, too. The big time fitters are probably going crazy.

 

[garybob]

as a man soweth, so shall he reapeth.

 

[Joe Boy]

I knew a boy a few years ago who got caught with the same substance that is mentioned in the article.  He won several big shows with lambs and calves and was stripped when he was caught.  I live less than an hour from where the kid who had the champion lamb lives and have bought lambs and rams in his city.  I wanted a man from there to judge our local show and that was denied.  Some thought he was guilty of helping animals to win because he often won, but the man who faught it the most was the man whose nephew was caught and lost his ability to show.... winning is not anything great if done illegally or unethically, but it is a shame.

 

[red]

Ohio has had it's share of scandals within the state & county show levels. We seem to hold our breath until after the drug tests to know if the grand champions passed their tests. i do think putting a cap on the grand champion steer at the state fair has helped some too. More of the money gets spread around.
We still have people that were banned participating. They just might not be in the front & center.
It's too bad when a kid gets penalized for something an adult has done. ???

Red

 

[Telos]

In recent years we have seen, partly because of media attention, cheating in many different kinds of competitions and sports. From the Tour De France to race car competitions,  people tend to become oblivious to ethical practices when "winning"  becomes the main objective. It's like an addictive drug.

I just hope "livestock showers" who practice a lifestyle of unethical behavior can learn something from their actions.There needs to be more pressure on people who thinks it OK to cheat and beat out a first time 9 year old 4-H kid and think they have really accomplished a great feat. Maybe, if we make them feel more "shameful" and let the "media" get a hold of their actions, to let all to know, it might make them think differently?

Junior livestock showing is one heck of a program and we must continually work to make these competitions fair and keep everyone on an even playing field.

P.S. This is to all the "big shots" who cheat. I hope you get caught so you can learn one of life's basic lessons.

 

[gocalves]

In recent years we have seen, partly because of media attention, cheating in many different kinds of competitions and sports. From the Tour De France to race car competitions,  people tend to become oblivious to ethical practices when "winning"  becomes the main objective. It's like an addictive drug.

I just hope "livestock showers" who practice a lifestyle of unethical behavior can learn something from their actions.There needs to be more pressure on people who thinks it OK to cheat and beat out a first time 9 year old 4-H kid and think they have really accomplished a great feat. Maybe, if we make them feel more "shameful" and let the "media" get a hold of their actions, to let all to know, it might make them think differently?

Junior livestock showing is one heck of a program and we must continually work to make these competitions fair and keep everyone on an even playing field.

P.S. This is to all the "big shots" who cheat. I hope you get caught so you can learn one of life's basic lessons.

Nice Take, Telos. I hope it stops before we let it get started.  (cow)

 

[calfman]

I think my buddy has become a "hotshot." He's not cheating, but he's so competitive and serious, it takes the fun out the show.

))

 

[brahmergirl]

It's sickening. It happens though, to each is their own!  We learned that lesson through market hogs.  Just as big of a game as any other market animal.  Very disheartening for kids when they "honestly" raise their livestock and lose to dishonesty.  I had to have that same talk to my 11 year old just this last year in the hogs.  We didn't feed ours anything that we would be scared of eating ourselves. 

Our friends on the other hand had 10 head of hogs that they showed.  They took all of theirs to the local livestock auction the next day, I asked how many they were going to keep to butcher and was told none.  They put too much in their feed for them to eat but it was ok for someone innocently to buy at the auction to butcher and risk their health on.  I lost a lot of respect for those "friends".  The kid that won the fair that we were at, his dad put tons and tons of various powders on his feed morning, noon and night.  We watched and learned.  Nothing in it's original container, all unlabeled containers.  We knew where he bought his stock as that is where we bought ours also, same litter of pigs even.  When his son won $1,300 for his pig and my son didn't he was of course upset.  We talked about genetics and just the way each individual animal turns out.  Then we talked about how our pig was $150 and his was $800 out of the same litter, at the same auction within 5 minutes of each other.  Then we talked about the price of feed, the price of all those additives and we figured up with pen and paper how much we made off of ours vs how much they made off of theirs.  they went in the hole, and my son had money in his pocket.  He made $900 off of his and his was just breed champion not overall champion however he came out about $500 ahead due to grinding our own feed and having our own rations made, no additives. 

It's really sad the message that we try to send to kids today.  It's too bad that it can't be like how the article said it was for that guy back in the 70s.  Its just too political and commercial.    We show Brahman's and can't compete around here with black cattle, it's a fact.  So that is why we show at Tulsa.  It is the closest breed show around for my son to compete in in an open show.  We went a few years ago and he had two head that he took, a bull and a heifer.  That was plenty for our first year.  He showed against the industry's best, 50+ year old men and still did great!  He left feeling a little down that he didn't get first place but we talked about that again.  We went back this year and the man that won wasn't there.  He hauled about 30+ head down there, he had been disqualified from the breed association for various reasons.  It was then that my son realized how cheating gets you no where.  It was good for him to see that at such a young age.  It will hopefully stick with him for the rest of his life. 

 

[red]

Good job of raising a very knowledgable & honest son brahmergirl! Kids need to learn by example & explaining & taking the time w/ them is all worth it!!


Red (clapping)