Showing Clarabelle

On Saturday morning we woke up early and got the morning chores done and then drove to Lake Charles for the Southwest District Livestock Show.  Benjamin would be showing Clarabelle and the show started promptly at 8 am.  We had to get to the barn earlier to feed, hay and water her and to re-groom her. Cows have a propensity to lie in their own poop overnight.  We checked the judging sheets to learn that Jerseys would be showing last. 

Clarabelle's udder was full of milk and began to drip, but we can't put Astro, her little bull calf, on her until the show was over.  Her bag was tight and she moo'd a little bit for Astro as Benjamin walked Clarabelle to the arena.  Tricia spoke calmly to Clarabelle to relax her.  It is important, especially in Showmanship, that the animals are well-behaved.

Benjamin chatted with his Dairy Showing buddies to pass the time while the Holsteins, Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, Guernseys, and AOB and Commercial showed.  Running around having a good time during the shows and missing school are a couple things I fondly remember about the shows when I was younger.

Finally, it was time to get in the ring.  The judge surveyed the animals and paced back and forth in the Jersey Division...

He did the same thing in the Showmanship Competition, except this time he judged the exhibitor.  The judge is always helpful and gets on the microphone and gives praise and constructive criticism to make everyone better.

In the end, Benjamin won Reserve Champion Louisiana Bred Jersey and second place in his Showmanship age division.  We had him pose with Clarabelle and his rosettes for a picture. 

The shows are fun, but they tend to be long days.  We weren't released until almost 8 pm that night.  Clarabelle and Astro took advantage of the "down time" and rested.

Astro was doing what I wanted to do.  Z-Z-Z-Z-Z.....

When released, we loaded the animals up and got them home around 9:15 pm, unloaded them, and unpacked all the showing supplies.  This weekend we travel to Gonzales, Louisiana for the State Livestock Show.

2017 District Livestock Show - Lake Charles

The morning following the Rodeo that we posted about HERE we woke up and loaded Clarabelle into the trailer and took off for Lake Charles.  It is about 41 miles to the Burton Coliseum from where we live.  Check in times for the animals was 8 a.m. until noon.  We arrived and showed the health papers and got settled on the Jeff Davis Dairy Exhibit aisle.  We met up with friends and visited.

Then it was time to get Clarabelle cleaned up for the show tomorrow.  Fortunately it wasn't as cold as in previous years, but it wasn't warm either.  As Benjamin sprayed her down with water at the wash rack, steam rose from her back.  She was shaking.

He soaped her down and then sprayed more water on her.  She didn't like it much and jumped around.

A little soap, a little scrubbing with a brush and she was clean as a whistle.

It was a beautiful day outside the barn and Benjamin found some clover for Clarabelle to munch on. Then it was time to give her fresh water and hay for the night and we headed back for home.  The show starts at 8 a.m. Saturday morning.

Benjamin showed his heifer, Clarabelle in the Burton Coliseum and the judge liked her.  Benjamin got a nice rosette ribbon.

He showed in his Jersey class and then in Showmanship.

It was a full morning of showing livestock.

They didn't release us until after the rodeo began at 8 p.m. that night, so it made for a long day.  But we visited with each other and ate BBQ burgers and then made the long drive home once we were released.

This weekend is the State Livestock Show in Gonzales, Louisiana at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center and Benjamin will be bringing Clarabelle.  I remember livestock shows when I was a boy and have many good memories of time with friends and my animals.  I'm glad that Benjamin is able to do the same and make some lasting memories.

2016 Southwest District Livestock Show

This past weekend it was time for the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  It is held at the Burton Complex and is an opportunity for young people in 4-H and FFA to show their livestock.  We brought the animals to the barn Friday morning at 8 am.  There were Dairy cows, beef cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and rabbits in the arenas.  We quickly found our group and set up under our banner - Jeff Davis Parish Dairy Exhibit.

Our Parish Dairy Exhibit

We brought Clarabelle, the seven month old Jersey heifer and Amy, who gave birth to Chuck, our little Jersey bull.  We brought Chuck, too.  There is not a competition to show Jersey bulls.  We brought him so that Amy wouldn't be mooing all day and night looking for her calf and for a secondary purpose that we'll tell you about in a minute.  Now, because you want your dairy cow's bag to be in "full bloom," you don't milk them out for about a day in advance of the show.  They will be so full of milk that milk will be dripping from their teats.  It is probably quite uncomfortable for the cow as she wants to be milked.  Chuck wants the milk, too.  For that purpose we put down fresh wood shavings and placed Clarabelle between Chuck and Amy so that Chuck wouldn't steal Amy's milk before the show.

From left to right: Chuck, Clarabelle, and Amy

Benjamin filled the hay socks with hay and the cows ate hay and got acclimated to their new surroundings.  Cows mooing and pigs squealing in the background isn't the most peaceful sound, but the cows are able to tune that all out and sit down and nap for a bit.  Then it is time to take the animals to the washing stalls and gave the cows a good bath, scrubbing them up so that they are squeaky clean, even cleaning the ear wax out of their ears.

Taking a rest after bath time

But it is not all hard work.  The exhibitors, enjoying an excused absence from school, enjoy themselves in any number of creative ways, like pushing a cart full of cow poop and hay.  There's plenty of good, clean fun that happens at a livestock show.  You have to keep your area clean, so each time your animal poops, you have to pick up the manure with a pitch fork and fill up the poop bin.  If you didn't, all your washing would be for naught as your animal would lay in their cow patty. Cows aren't real big on cleanliness.

Pushing the poop wagon

A few members of the Jefferson Davis Dairy Show Team - all smiles

Sittin' on the fence

Saturday morning the show started promptly at 8 am with Showmanship first.  For showmanship, the competition is really not about the animal - it is about the showman.  It is about how well the exhibitor shows the animal.  Points are awarded for your ability to set up your animal quickly, your focus and attention on the judge, your proficiency in answering questions that the judge asks you about your animal, and generally how well you handle your animal - even if they are acting up.

In the show ring

Sometimes even mommas get involved, holding animals between shows and keeping a bucket full of rags to 'touch up' the cows prior to their turn in the ring.

Clarabelle & Tricia

Once Showmanship is over, then it is time for the regular show.  The cows are broken up into breed classifications that are separated by the age of the animal.  In the photo below, Benjamin is showing Clarabelle in the 7 month old Jersey heifer division.  He has her set up nicely, with her legs properly placed and her head held high.

Clarabelle set up for the judge 

Under the shining lights of the Burton Coliseum, Benjamin and Clarabelle really shined, winning a bunch of nice rosette ribbons.

Benjamin & Clarabelle

Here is a shot of Benjamin and I with Clarabelle.  She is showing off her Reserve Champion Jersey Heifer Louisiana bred ribbon.

Once Benjamin was finished showing, we walked Amy & Clarabelle back to the barn where Chuck was waiting.  That little dude was hungry and finally, since the show was over, he could drink Amy's milk.  Chuck drank and drank and drank until Amy was drained.

Emptying Amy

Chuck had a belly full of milk and he quickly sat down and began napping.  We laughed at him as he dozed off, his head sinking and sinking and sinking into the wood shavings.  

Amy, Benjamin, and Chuck

Since they want people to walk through the livestock exhibits prior to the rodeo, even though the show was over by noon, they wouldn't release us until about 8:20 pm.  We had an entire day to kill. Benjamin rested on and along with his animals to pass the time.  We also talked to parents and kids walking through the barn, explaining and showing them how to milk a cow.  Many folks aren't familiar with farm animals and they had the opportunity to pet the cows and learn about them. Believe it or not, some kids didn't know that milk comes from a cow.

We also visited with other exhibitors.  Our Jeff Davis show team is a close-knit group and we ate brisket sandwiches, rice & gravy and a bunch of snacks while we talked and laughed and enjoyed each others' company.

Catching a quick nap

We got home at about 10pm Saturday night.  It was a long day.  We got the cows unloaded from the trailer and back in the pasture.  They were glad to be home.  So were we!  Benjamin had a nice haul of ribbons of which he's proud of.  They'll decorate the wall of his room.

Benjamin's Ribbons

This weekend we'll take Clarabelle to Gonzales, Louisiana, where the State Livestock Show is held. Benjamin is looking forward to going to the State Show to show his calf and have fun with his friends.

SWLA District Livestock Show FEB 2015

The week of February 1 was the Southwest Louisiana District Livestock Show and Rodeo in Lake Charles, LA and Benjamin brought his Jersey heifer, Amy, to the show.  Check-in time was Friday from 8 - 12 and with my Dad's help (since I had to work), Tricia and Benjamin were able to get Amy's health papers from our veterinarian, load her in the trailer, and get her all checked in.

The previous night we went to the rodeo and had a really good time with just old fashioned, "country" values.  It started out with the Rodeo Announcer on horseback leading everyone in a real good prayer and then the opening ceremony with the American flag being carried out by a girl with a rhinestone-filled outfit under a spotlight. The National Anthem was played and the crowd sang...  It was the sort of thing you wished you'd see more of  these days.

Once Amy was checked in and in the barn, Benjamin had to wash her.  This year the temperatures were almost balmy.  Some years it is so cold that you feel sorry for the animals.  They hunch their backs and shiver and inevitably you get wet in the process.  This year it wasn't so bad.

Bath time for Amy

Cows don't much like taking a bath, though, and they especially don't like water being sprayed on their heads.  Benjamin did a good job of getting the girl cleaned up and presentable.  Although the actual show is the next morning, we wash them the evening prior and then just touch them up with a wet rag in the morning.  Cows are indiscriminate about where they lay down at night and oftentimes you have to scrub them hard in the morning to have them looking presentable for the show.

We woke up early and did our chores and then headed to Lake Charles for the show. The first class of Dairy cows started at eight o'clock in the Coliseum and we wanted to ensure we were there an hour in advance.  Benjamin got Amy looking presentable with minimal scrubbing and then we washed and scrubbed her hooves to get the mud off and cleaned her ears.  At ten minutes to eight we moved her into the Coliseum and tied her to the outer wall of the rodeo arena.

Ready for the show

When we looked at the schedule, Benjamin was in the 28th class.  The judge kept things moving and the classes were small so we didn't have to wait too terribly long. They started out with the Commercial cows and moved through all the dairy breeds in alphabetical order.  The heifers (unbred bovines) of each breed showed in separate classes than the cows (animals that have calved).  It is interesting to see all the different breeds of dairy cows.  There was a HUGE Holstein cow with a bag so full of milk it was incredible.  Jersey cows look like little miniature cows when standing side by side.

Getting Amy set up for the judge

Amy was a little nervous and moved around a bit for Benjamin, but he got a nice rosette ribbon for his efforts.  For the record, I never won a nice ribbon like that back when I was showing livestock. I'm jealous.

This is the class in which all the first place finishers in the Jersey breed compete. You can see that the exhibitors wear white shirts to show their animals.

When all of the breeds have shown, then Showmanship starts.  Where the previous show judged the animals, Showmanship focuses on the exhibitor and the showman is evaluated on their ability to show their animal.  All breeds are allowed and the classes are broken up by the age of the exhibitor, starting with the older exhibitors first.

I had never thought of it, but a friend told me that the order is by design.  This is done so that the younger exhibitors can watch and learn as the older ones show. That makes a lot of sense!  You can learn so much from listening to and watching older people who have the wisdom and experience that's oft learned from making mistakes.

In the ring

You are supposed to get your animal set up properly and keep your eyes on the judge.

The judge comes around and asks each exhibitor questions.  You have to be prepared.  Benjamin was asked who the sire of Amy was.  He answered, "Stryker, our registered Jersey bull that we used to have."  Then the judge asked Amy's birth date and Benjamin was able to answer correctly.

The judge was a real good judge.  I think he was the best we've ever had.  He was interested in the kids and gave them great advice and constructive criticism, getting down on their level to talk to them.  He encouraged them and really helped especially the younger exhibitors, encouraging them and giving them tips on how to be better.  He spoke real clearly and spent a great deal of time with each class.

Showing livestock is a great project for youth, teaching them about responsibility, work ethic, perseverance, compassion, and following through with a task to its completion.  Win or lose, I think it is a great investment of time and money and the kids are better off for having participated.  If the Good Lord's willing, we'll be heading to the State Livestock Show outside Baton Rouge in Gonzales, Louisiana toward the end of the week.