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.

Time for the Livestock Shows

Mid to late January always marks the time at which the Parish Livestock Shows are held and it requires some preparation.  The animals are all halter-broken, gentle and tame (except for Bully, but that's another story).  We get out the clippers and shave their winter coats off and groom them as best as we can.  Then we brush up on the showing techniques that the judges are looking for.

Dairy showing is relatively easy.  You simply walk them around in a circle in the show ring, maintaining eye contact with the judge, hold the animal's head upright, and when the judge motions for you to stop, you stop.  The only tricky part is setting up the back legs.  If it is a dairy heifer that you are showing, the back leg on the side facing the judge should be positioned farther back.  If it is a dairy cow (one who has calved), the back leg facing the judge should be positioned forward.

This takes a little practice, so the weekend before the show, we got in the backyard and went through the exercise to refresh everyone's memory.  Here's Benjamin with Amy, his dairy heifer walking her and getting some practice before the livestock show.

Amy and Benjamin

Tricia was providing expert instruction to our showman.

"When you walk, keep eye contact with the judge."

Benjamin walked in more circles with Amy than he would have liked, but perfect practice makes perfect.  In no time he had Amy responding favorably to his commands and was able to set her up with ease.  When the animals get in a strange show barn with other animals though, sometimes things aren't so serene.  We've had animals lay down in the ring before.  The exacerbate their discomfort, you don't milk them prior to the show as you want their bag to "bloom."  That means be filled with milk.  So that doesn't exactly make them docile.

Setting up Amy

On the night before the show, we put Amy and Rosie in the cattle trailer, transported them to the Jeff Davis Parish Fair Barn and unloaded them.  We got them all settled and put hay in their hay socks and then took them to the washing stalls and scrubbed them with brushes and soapy water until they were spic and span.  You clean the wax out of their ears and they don't much like that.  Of course they were shivering in the cold, but we dried them off and then took out the clippers and fine tuned their haircuts.

The next morning was show time.  Benjamin and Tricia arrived in the barn and got the girls presentable for the show.  Sometimes overnight they'll lay down in their poop and will need to be touched up.  Fortunately, they were discerning in the spot that they slept and just required a quick brushing to remove some wood shavings from their bellies.  Now, you just sit and wait until your class is called over the loud-speaker.

Sitting with Amy

Before you know it, it was time for the show.  The cows were a little skittish, but Benjamin kept calm and managed his animals well.  The practice paid off as he did a great job.  The judge was very helpful and always gives the showman good tips and constructive criticism to make you a better showman.  4-H teaches good manners and behavior in showing and at the end of the show, all the exhibitors go shake hands with the judge.  I like that the formation of good character is reinforced.

In the ring

Between the shows, Benjamin is able to run around and visit with his 4-H buddies. I remember doing the same thing when I was his age.  Although we don't eat much fast food, we've started a tradition that Benjamin looks forward to.  At the end of the show, we go to Popeye's Fried Chicken and get a box of spicy chicken to chow down on as a reward for doing a good job.

And he did do a good job.  He got three nice ribbons, including two rosettes that he'll add to his bedroom display.  

Benjamin's ribbons

Now that the Parish show is over, the Southwest Louisiana District Livestock Show will be coming up in a week and a half in Lake Charles, Louisiana and we'll start preparing for that.  Good Job, Benjamin, with Daisy and Rosie!