Tips for State Fair stay

[okiegirl]

This is our first year showing.  We jackpotted all last winter and will be taking a Market Steer and heifer to Tulsa.  What are the tip, tricks, and things I need to take to make the week easier.  This will be our "showcation" since we farm and have cattle it's hard to get away from the farm.  I've already booked rooms at the Inn at Expo Square for the week.  It's prob not the nicest hotel but it's onsite and we can walk back and forth to our room.  Plus there is a mini fridge and microwave in the room.  I am a list maker and OCD when it comes to packing for trips.  Help.

 

[DLD]

You'll love it.  Tulsa's our family's favorite, but by the time you've done the Tuesday to Sunday thing, you will be ready to go home.  It's just like going to any other show, take all the same stuff with you, just alot more of some of it - mostly feed, clothes and money.  There'll be a thick bed of coarse mulch for bedding that you can use as is, but most folks put clean, finer wood chips on top - you can bring your own or buy it there, just be prepared to pay more for it.  Same goes for straw for tie outs, hay and feed.  Speaking of tie outs, go get some saved the very first chance you get on Tuesday - take something to make signs, and some twine or cheap rope to block off your space wouldn't hurt.

Electricity is pretty good during the steer show unless you happen to be in an unusually crowded area, just barely adequate for the heifer show (everywhere is crowded for the heifer show).  You'll be stalled by county, if everyone cooperates, the electricity shouldn't be a problem.  Water pressure is okay if the washracks aren't too busy, pitiful if they are (and they will be much of the time from mid-morning Friday til mid-morning Sunday) - not much you can do about any of that except to allow yourself plenty of time.

That's the real quick, general answer. If you have any more specific questions, post them.

 

[okiegirl]

Does anyone take a wagon or wheelbarrow to haul feed and hay from trailer?

 

[obie105]

Idk about Oklahoma but in Iowa something to help haul tack is essential you have no idea how far away you have to park to unload. We also pack coolers and food. I am a list maker too lol. I have a laminated sheet that was given to me that really helps to make sure I have most of my bases covered.

 

[cpratz]

You can take a wagon if you want its not to far of a walk at Tulsa.

 

[DLD]

You'll get to back your trailer up to the end of the aisle (or fairly close) to unload - depending on exactly where your stalls are, the width of the barn should be the farthest you'll have to go.  Still wouldn't hurt if you have room to bring something like that along to unload and load.  It's more than a mile to where the trailers are parked (down the street, off the fairgrounds), so if you want to leave stuff in your trailer to bring in periodically, you'll need to do that with your truck.  They're pretty good to let you drive in to unload feed and such early in the mornings and late in the evenings. 

There's a feed aisle, I guess 3' wide that runs down the middle between the stalls (in front of the cattle).  Tack space (again depending on your county, or whoever's tied near you if your county doesn't have many junior cattle entered) is generally speaking plentiful during the steer show and can get fairly cramped during the heifer show, so keep that in mind if you want to leave your wagon in the barn.

Everybody has their own system on food and drinks.  For Tulsa we bring a cooler for drinks and some light snack food, and chips.  There's lots of good food - the Oklahoma Cattlemans Association sells a great ribeye sandwich, the pork producers have a very good concession with different sandwiches and meals (way better than the ones they sell out of the little trailer at OYE),  and a good burger stand are all just outside the beef barns. There's also a stand with pretty decent bbq just a little farther away, as well as all the usual fair food.  We usually only eat lunch on the grounds, but we generally just buy a sandwich there and use the chips and drinks we bring, it's easy and not terribly expensive that way.

 

[okiegirl]

Thanks everyone, this is the stuff that I needed to know  (clapping)