|
Summer is in full swing here in
central California. Days are long giving people like me who run
cows along with a town job more time to get stuff done. It seems
that my best intentions, project wise, still don’t get done. There
are always things that come up that take priority like irrigating,
fixing broken fences and pipes and cows or calves to treat for
health issues. Another
indicator that summer is in full swing is the two major video
sales that just took place. I had the good fortune to attend the
Western Video Sale again this year in Reno. The sale was strong
this year and well attended by seed-stock producers as well as the
cattle folks selling and buying. I was a great chance to visit
with many people you only see a few times a year. I recommend it,
if you need a get away, even if for a day.
Summer county fair season is also
going strong, in fact, we at HAVE Angus are preparing for our
annual trip to the Sonoma County Fair again this year. We have
been taking cattle there for the last 12 or so years. With all of
our roots, mine, Karen’s, Mel’s and Darrell’s, in Sonoma County,
it is great to go back visit our friends and families and to
exhibit our product and warm up for the State fairs we attend.
I also, from time to time, get the
chance to judge a few fairs and I especially enjoy judging youth
and working with the exhibitors and their cattle. Unfortunately at
the last show I judged there was an incident in the ring that made
me upset and even a little angry. One of the exhibitors didn’t
agree with my placing and chose to show her displeasure at my
placing by making a rude comment to me exiting the ring. It was
very unsportsmanlike and out of character for a junior showman.
When a judge is given a contract, he or she is paid for their
opinion on that day. The system that many of our fairs are using
is Market Ready or Not Market ready. I gave this steer a non
market ready, due to weight and condition. This is a very hard
call to make when you know a whole year’s effort and investment is
riding on that project. On the other hand our goal is to harvest
the product in the ring and send it the consumer. Many county fair
steers are sold and go custom to the person purchasing it. The
last thing we want is to put a inferior product on their plate. We
all need to try every way we can promoting and producing the best
product we can.
My point being, if you disagree with a placing save it for outside
the ring, if possible approach the judge in a civil manner, ask
logical questions and probably you will learn something that that
person saw, that you may have overlooked. This goes for all shows
as well; please use restraint. Remember the person judging can
hear, will see you out side the ring and remember those things for
the future.
I will get off my soap box and
finish packing so we can leave tomorrow. See you down the road.
Jim Vietheer
WSAA Director
|
