The making of a good show
“It takes planning several months in advance to pull off a well-organized show and even then something may not go as planned,” said Bryan R. Kutz, instructor and youth specialist for the University of Arkansas’ Department of Animal Science.
“There are many types of shows. Jackpot shows to county, district and state fairs, to regional and national livestock events; each of which has their own level of planning and preparation.”
Things that have to be considered when organizing a show include registration, breed breakdown, classes, how many should be in each class, payout and awards, show judge selection, potential sponsorship, show announcer, organizing ring help and great record keeping, Kutz added.
According to Karla Deaver, 4-H youth development specialist and associate extension professional with the University of Missouri, livestock show committees or fair boards put in a lot of volunteer time planning and preparing for a livestock show.
“The key to planning and preparation of any event is communication,” Deaver said. “There is never too much.”
Committees do everything from securing a date and location to deciding what classes to offer, what premium money will be paid, how they will pay the premium money and other expenses, what rules they want to have, advertising, getting sponsors, getting the show information out to the public, taking entries and actually conducting the show all takes a lot of coordination.
“Most fair boards begin planning their next fair as soon as one ends, so it is an ongoing process,” Deaver said. “However, most of the planning and preparation is in the last two to three months before a show, unless they are starting one from the ground up.”
The judge
Finding the right judge is crucial for a good livestock show experience. “This process probably begins with how much your organization is willing to pay a person for their services,” Kutz said. “My preference would be to pick a judge that works extremely well with the exhibitors. A judge that will give the youth a valuable and positive experience is very important to me.”
Additional suggestions Kutz provided is to use a judge that is not from the area where the show is taking place or has any connection to exhibitors or their family, and of course, a judge that has had experience and is knowledgeable about the species of livestock they are asked to evaluate is a must.
“When I get asked to judge a show I like to remember that I am there to do a job,” Kutz said. “As a judge on the microphone you can get the spectators very involved and interested. Clarity on the microphone, good but short explanation of your decisions and treating the exhibitors fairly and respectful, are extremely important to remember as you prepare for every show.”
The judge and the 4-H’er
4-H’ers need to be ready to interact with the judge. “Usually, the ring helpers will instruct the exhibitors on when, what and how they are to manipulate the show ring,” Kutz said. “The judge will usually talk to everyone in the show. That conversation can range from a cordial hello to questions about the animal, the animal care and management and even the livestock industry (usually in showmanship).”
According to Kutz, there are many things youth exhibitors can do to get prepared, but ultimately there is nothing else better to prepare you than actual experience at the show.
“Learning from mistakes and picking up on things that will make you more efficient,” he added. “Repetition is the mother of learning. Go to as many shows as economically possible.”
“Practice leading your animal in noisy, chaotic conditions,” Deaver said. “Practice setting the animal up as you would in the show ring. Washing, brushing and grooming your animal daily so the animal is comfortable with you and trusts you is very important. All of this practice will help a great deal, for showmanship as well as placing in the class.”
