Is there a difference,....You bet!!

Ladies and Germs,

After equal doses of neglect and admonishment I sit before this screen wringing out what is left of the rivulets of thought passing between my ears. (Wasn't college great)!!

With fair season close at hand I thought we might talk a bit about showmanship in our livestock projects. While there are volumes and many blogs we can share on other issues, let's focus on showmanship and its values.

Having shown livestock in 4-H for 11 years, judged livestock at the 4-H and collegiate levels, and having judged multiple species at several county and state fairs I feel like I can offer a word or two on the subject of showmanship.

First and foremost we need to understand that showmanship is an arena that we can all compete on even footing. That's what I like most about this aspect of the competition. As a judge I am making this all about YOU, not your critter. I am evaluating the amount of knowledge you posess, your skill level in exhibiting your animal, and the obvious amount of good old fashioned elbow grease and time you have put forth. This includes, but is not limited to, how the animal is presented--is it show ring ready? Clean, clipped, trimmed, in show condition, and most importantly---manageable? These things tell me, as a judge, just how involved you have been with your project. Your calf doesn't have to be a class winner to win showmanship, that's up to you. If I ask you where the rack is on your lamb, you will need to be able to show me and tell me why that might be something worth knowing. If I ask you what your feed program has been for your pig project I expect to hear something beyond, "Dad feeds him grain every day". I expect you to inform me through your presentations; orally, physically, and mentally, that you are a hands on caretaker, trainer, and student of the industry your project represents. I expect you to have spent the time and effort, blood, sweat and tears that it takes to bring a top caliber exhibit into the show ring for me to evaluate. And trust me, it is fairly easy to separate the kids who do their own work as opposed to a different situation. ('Nuther day, folks).

My whole point here is that you don't have to spend the family savings to "be competetive". Let the muckity mucks go spend $15,000 on a steer that will sell for $6,500 as the fair champion. I want you to be the sensible individual that spends what you can on a project you are interested in. Then I want you to learn everything you can about that project and industry. Trust me, you will be easy to find. You'll be the one who actually knows something!

On a closing note, I would like to offer that the showmanship buckle/trophy and ribbons are just the same as the others...sort of. They just don't hold all the debt some of the others do.