The "Breaker" Shows

So we start the year with what we call our "breaker" shows.

This year it was Cooyar & Bell and we must say we were super excited that our cattle got around the ring, experienced everything "new" about their now "show world" with all the pampering it brings AND we even picked up some ribbons!

So in this and following blog posts we will cover some tips and to why we do what we do and a bit of a review on the show facilities so fellow cattle crazed passionate show people know what to look out for!!!

My FAV things that I look for when attending shows!!!

Not necessarily in a particular order but definitely gold star worthy things!

- Safe areas for the cattle to be housed/tie up (ie preferably not joining side show alley or beside the bar)

- Wash bays with plenty of room, safe tie up spots & Great water PRESSURE!

- Hot Showers

- Lighting (near the unloading areas & around the cattle PLUS to the amenities so it's not too creepy!)

- Powered Sites for camping - & it not be 2km to the cattle or amenities

- closeness of camping to cattle

-friendly committees who are happy to provide insight prior to arriving

- Great Coffee (& cake/slice LOL)

- bedding ie sawdust SUPPLIED - so we don't have to cart bedding hay is always a plus!

Added little "isn't that lovely" things that we have come across are -

- Welcome BBQ Dinner

- Breakfast burgers/wraps on the morning of judging when things are hectic and a really good "real" coffee van very close by - Yes - COFFEE is AMAZING!!

Now we have it on good authority there is also a "Frog Population" test also - ie how many frogs in the toilets has been known to be used as to whether a stud attends a show or not..... Committee's be aware! LOL

My dream cattle show shed looks like

Sawdust - already in the beds

Tie Up links along the railing

Appropriate height tie rails

Appropriate depth cattle beds

Plenty of room to put hay/feed near cattle so you don't have to lug it backwards & forwards each day

Access to the shed to get gear in with a truck/ute so you don't have to carry it for miles

Power - for clippers/blowers and very importantly MUSIC & phone charging

SAFE alleyways for cattle to walk along (not slippery)

For early "Breaker" shows

The unloading ramp be into a closed yard

The yard is very close or has a lane way to the show shed

The show ring is actually a yard that it hinders cattle wanting to "float" and if they do they can't go far and everyone is safe.

The wash bay isn't far from the show shed

My "Pet Peevs"

Unsafe areas for cattle/people - ie slippery walkways, loading ramps that are dangerous

No water/water pressure at the wash bay

Dirty Overflowing toilets/showers

Cold Showers

Show public attendees late in the night trying to "do" things to exhibitors cattle

Show public attendees hanging around cattle exhibitors camps late at night partying to the early hours around judging times. (we love a party but it's usually AFTER judging and with respect to others!)

So it is the utmost importance for me to like the sign says,

"Keep Calm & Show Cattle"

The breakers can be the quietest at home and then change at the show, the "touchy" ones at home can turn out to be the cupcakes of the team - the unknown to how they react to new things that we try very hard to emulate at home all add to the heightened level of "awareness" we need to have when at a show with the breakers.

So we try and give the team cattle as many experiences at home as possible to "desensitise", provide different areas, noises and more to assist in minimising the impact of attending a show - AND once they have a couple under their belts they soon discover being a show animal is PRETTY DARN great with plenty of TLC!

So if you do see us - especially with "Breakers" we'd love to say hello and have a chat - we just might need you to give us a bit of space to ensure our animal is ready for you to come closer - or come and see us a bit later at the shed area.

and like we tell all of our ringers - BREATHE!!!

plus HAVE FUN - there are no sheep stations on the line but plenty of opportunities to help each other and make memories......