Going Showing
by Nathan Hopkins


Many long hours and lots of hard work, goes into showing and managing the herd.

Feeding and washing and grooming the ones, you’ve worked on all year to show and have fun.

Making new friends and learning new things, from show clinics to classes to walking in the ring.

You’re ready to show cause you really care, about your bull or your heifer or your cow-calf pair.

We all set high goals we want to achieve, to produce the best beef within the breed.

From genetics to feed management to calving with ease, with correct structure and disposition, you know…the EPDs.

This is something you love and is part of your life, from the cattle to the barn, what we call “farm life.”

We wake up each morning with a hope deep inside, the little calf just born will do well and thrive.

The young bulls are weaned and growing good and strong, which reveal the genetics we’ve been working on.

We work up the ground and plant the new seed, excited to have a good crop we believe.

Excited to have the sunshine and rain, making all things grow and work not in vain.

Walking our cattle and setting them up, so they will be ready and really show up.

Combing their hair and rinsing each day, and rub a dub dubbing the dirt all away.

Turning on fans and keeping them cool, checking before and after school.

They know when it’s time to be fed or be washed, because they walk to the fence and give their head a toss.

Seeming to say, “Hey it’s time to cool down, come and get me and don’t mess around!”

Now is the time to start preparing to load, the trailer we washed and get ready to go.

The shows are across the USA, from county to national and fairs along the way.

We are excited to see our old friends, and plan the activities from beginning to end.

We want to compete wherever we go, showing good sportsmanship and kindness, you know.

There are posters to enter and speeches to do, food to grill and singing, it’s true.

There are meetings and meals and oh yeah cleaning the stalls, and walking our cattle for exercise and all.

The judges are ready and raring to go, and all who are showing are excited you know.

It seems like the cattle know just what to do, they are ready to go for the blue.

From classes to divisions and championship drives, we are all ready for the judges to decide.

We all did our best and gave it our all, now is the time to stand and be tall.

Good sportsmanship is the name of the game, win or lose we’re all glad we came.

And when it’s time to load up and go, we will be ready for the next big show.

Going showing is the best from beginning to end, it’s not just a blue ribbon, it’s making new friends!

The End.

This article originally appeared in “The Advantage” – The National Junior Hereford Association Newsletter – Spring 2018. To download this newsletter, click below.

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