Another year of showing is over. The week flew by, and a lot of fun was had by all. We did fairly well with our cattle. My Jersey five-year-old that I had intended to leave home was the Reserve Grand Champion for her breed. Pretty good for us, haven’t done that well since old Dixie passed away three years ago. Didn’t do as well with the Holsteins as we thought we would though. Had a first and several seconds, but most of our placings were well down the line. Still, it was a fairly fun year all and all. Got to deal with a lot of BS the first few days, but it was still good to get to see old friends. The barn was way down on numbers and the whole fair was rather empty, you could literally see the whole shebang in about five or six minutes depending on how many people were there. I will post some pictures of the string and show in a few days when I have some more time.
Only four days ‘til school starts now. BLAH!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
And We Are OFF!!!
Truck in is Monday, the fair actually opens Tuesday, and today and Sunday we are taking in all our feed, decorations, tie chains and such. Just about everything is ready, but we will naturally find SOMETHING that we missed on Tuesday. I still have a few things to finish painting, but they don't need to go in until Monday, so I guess that is okay. The rest of the decorations just need to be put together, trucked over and set up. Hard to tell with everything just laying in piles around the house, but I think the stalls will look pretty spectacular this year. See everybody in a week. BYE!!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Oh So True
IT IS HIS HANDS
By: Lori Watson Yarbrough
From: Northeast Dairy Business
It is his hands I notice first
Cupped around a cold cup of coffee
They are easily the hands of an old farmer
Gnarled, cracked and huge.
These hands do not gradually taper to wrists
No, they are one solid unit
More than one can of Bag Balm would be needed
Before these hands could be softened.
He sits there on a stool by the parts counter
Having his coffee
They keep a cup just for him. After all he used to be their best customer.
It’s the cup that says, “Farmers feed you three times a day.”
Well, they do!
His son runs the farm now; he helps out when he’s asked
Running wagons back and forth, feeding the calves and helping with the milking.
That’s what he does now. My how times have changed.
I remember him from when I was a little girl.
When I came in with Daddy, his huge frame would be leaning up against the counter.
Clad in his green coveralls, Dekalb hat and barn boots
The ever-present pouch of Red Man in evidence
He would tell be how “purty” I was and give me a penny for the gumball machine.
We’d all stand around the counter or sit on bales of baler twine
Listening to the old farmers talking about the old days, giving out advice and helping us all remember what farming was all about
They were real characters, and the stories they could tell!
We had nothing but respect for them and as they slowly left us their advice and memories stayed
And now there he is, green overalls, Dekalb hat and Red Man
He winks at me as I walk in. Yep, I am as “purty” as ever
And how are the “young uns”?
He’s telling that story of that big ole bull with the cock-eyed horn
You know, the one whose stall was under the stairs.
So I pull up a bale of twine and have a seat.
We all hang on his every word. Sure the bull is a little faster, meaner and even uglier.
The details aren’t important. The story is. This is.
These few minutes of shooting the breeze between milking and baling
I lean back and inhale the sweet smell of cow manure, hay and hydraulic fluid
I look at his hands and I smile.
They are easily the hands of an old farmer.
They are beautiful.
By: Lori Watson Yarbrough
From: Northeast Dairy Business
It is his hands I notice first
Cupped around a cold cup of coffee
They are easily the hands of an old farmer
Gnarled, cracked and huge.
These hands do not gradually taper to wrists
No, they are one solid unit
More than one can of Bag Balm would be needed
Before these hands could be softened.
He sits there on a stool by the parts counter
Having his coffee
They keep a cup just for him. After all he used to be their best customer.
It’s the cup that says, “Farmers feed you three times a day.”
Well, they do!
His son runs the farm now; he helps out when he’s asked
Running wagons back and forth, feeding the calves and helping with the milking.
That’s what he does now. My how times have changed.
I remember him from when I was a little girl.
When I came in with Daddy, his huge frame would be leaning up against the counter.
Clad in his green coveralls, Dekalb hat and barn boots
The ever-present pouch of Red Man in evidence
He would tell be how “purty” I was and give me a penny for the gumball machine.
We’d all stand around the counter or sit on bales of baler twine
Listening to the old farmers talking about the old days, giving out advice and helping us all remember what farming was all about
They were real characters, and the stories they could tell!
We had nothing but respect for them and as they slowly left us their advice and memories stayed
And now there he is, green overalls, Dekalb hat and Red Man
He winks at me as I walk in. Yep, I am as “purty” as ever
And how are the “young uns”?
He’s telling that story of that big ole bull with the cock-eyed horn
You know, the one whose stall was under the stairs.
So I pull up a bale of twine and have a seat.
We all hang on his every word. Sure the bull is a little faster, meaner and even uglier.
The details aren’t important. The story is. This is.
These few minutes of shooting the breeze between milking and baling
I lean back and inhale the sweet smell of cow manure, hay and hydraulic fluid
I look at his hands and I smile.
They are easily the hands of an old farmer.
They are beautiful.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
IT'S FINALLY FAIR TIME!!!
Summertime…Just that one word pretty much sums it all up. From watermelon seed spitting contests, to hot hazy humid days, right on to the county fairs, everything just seems to go by too quickly. School starts for me in just a couple of weeks (26 days to be exact), and the fair is in less than two (12 days and counting). Calves are being washed, led, clipped, and basically pampered to the point that they are getting very, very spoiled. While I can’t wait for the fair to get here, I am also dreading it. Fair week means two to four hours of sleep max at night, long drives back and forth from the grounds, bathing cows in the cool morning air before the sun even touches the horizon, and, when it is over and the cows are back safely at home, school is just that much closer.
The dairy show kicks off on Thursday morning, generally somewhere between 10 and 10:30, with the Jerseys, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorns and Guernseys all showing then. The little 4-H kids generally drag their calves and cows around the ring again somewhere around two in the afternoon. To say the least they always have a blast. With such a small fair everyone is close friends so we all have a heck of a lot of fun. The last show of the day gets started with the “Over the Hill” showmanship at 6:30, followed by the Holsteins and the Ayrshires. Kind of sad, but at 20 I now count as Over the Hill, I personally would much prefer well seasoned.
The worst part of the week for me is showing both in the morning with my few Jerseys, and again late at night with my, generally many more, Holsteins. This year I will only have two Jerseys, baby Hazel, and her older sister, Hooter. I have decided to leave their mother home, mostly because I can’t stand the thought of bagging three animals up for shows that are so far apart. Bagging involves putting more hours between milking so that there is more milk in the udder so the cows look fancier. Then at night I have a huge batch of our Holsteins going in. They range in age from little junior calves, on up to my gangly three year old. They total eight in all, two junior calves, one senior calf, two junior yearlings, one senior yearling (any one else seeing a bit of a pattern?), one senior two year old (baby brother’s cow), one three year old, and a dry two year old.
I miss having my old aged cow, Dixie, on years like this. She was the easiest critter to handle. It was like she waited all year for the fair. I’d start getting her clipped and washed up about two weeks prior, and she would just KNOW that it was time and would stand staring hard at the big black CornPro stock trailer next to the cattle yard as if to say “Isn’t it time to go yet?”. Ever year I handed her over after milking to the little girl whose father runs the milking parlor so that the kid could lead her back to her stall and feel special. Somehow that cow who was so gigantic next to the little four, then five, then six-year-old always managed to miss stepping on little kid feet.
Tuesday we all, minus mom, went to a local feed mill for their annual BBQ and I ran in to some people I have shown with for years. I didn’t think anyone at the fair had noticed the lack of her presence. But the two ladies asked me what had happened to her because they had noticed she hadn’t been at the fair in a few years. It still makes me heart sick to think of losing her just over three years ago now. She got milk fever just after calving, and despite everything we all did, us and one of the vets at the local large animal clinic, we couldn’t get her to turn around and get better. We literally threw the proverbial kitchen sink at her, anything and everything we heard of that even remotely sounded like it would work was given to her, after we had talked to the vet to see if she thought it would react with anything else she had already had, but nothing seemed to do any good. I guess sometimes it is just time to let things go, but I still miss her. Last year, I filled a large picture frame with photos of her from the time she was a calf, up right until the year before she died, even throwing in a photo of her sire, a little half black half white bull my dad bought way back when, to show how much alike they looked. It will certainly always go along with the other decorations, so Dixie will always have her ‘Special Spot’ in the show line.
The dairy show kicks off on Thursday morning, generally somewhere between 10 and 10:30, with the Jerseys, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorns and Guernseys all showing then. The little 4-H kids generally drag their calves and cows around the ring again somewhere around two in the afternoon. To say the least they always have a blast. With such a small fair everyone is close friends so we all have a heck of a lot of fun. The last show of the day gets started with the “Over the Hill” showmanship at 6:30, followed by the Holsteins and the Ayrshires. Kind of sad, but at 20 I now count as Over the Hill, I personally would much prefer well seasoned.
The worst part of the week for me is showing both in the morning with my few Jerseys, and again late at night with my, generally many more, Holsteins. This year I will only have two Jerseys, baby Hazel, and her older sister, Hooter. I have decided to leave their mother home, mostly because I can’t stand the thought of bagging three animals up for shows that are so far apart. Bagging involves putting more hours between milking so that there is more milk in the udder so the cows look fancier. Then at night I have a huge batch of our Holsteins going in. They range in age from little junior calves, on up to my gangly three year old. They total eight in all, two junior calves, one senior calf, two junior yearlings, one senior yearling (any one else seeing a bit of a pattern?), one senior two year old (baby brother’s cow), one three year old, and a dry two year old.
I miss having my old aged cow, Dixie, on years like this. She was the easiest critter to handle. It was like she waited all year for the fair. I’d start getting her clipped and washed up about two weeks prior, and she would just KNOW that it was time and would stand staring hard at the big black CornPro stock trailer next to the cattle yard as if to say “Isn’t it time to go yet?”. Ever year I handed her over after milking to the little girl whose father runs the milking parlor so that the kid could lead her back to her stall and feel special. Somehow that cow who was so gigantic next to the little four, then five, then six-year-old always managed to miss stepping on little kid feet.
Tuesday we all, minus mom, went to a local feed mill for their annual BBQ and I ran in to some people I have shown with for years. I didn’t think anyone at the fair had noticed the lack of her presence. But the two ladies asked me what had happened to her because they had noticed she hadn’t been at the fair in a few years. It still makes me heart sick to think of losing her just over three years ago now. She got milk fever just after calving, and despite everything we all did, us and one of the vets at the local large animal clinic, we couldn’t get her to turn around and get better. We literally threw the proverbial kitchen sink at her, anything and everything we heard of that even remotely sounded like it would work was given to her, after we had talked to the vet to see if she thought it would react with anything else she had already had, but nothing seemed to do any good. I guess sometimes it is just time to let things go, but I still miss her. Last year, I filled a large picture frame with photos of her from the time she was a calf, up right until the year before she died, even throwing in a photo of her sire, a little half black half white bull my dad bought way back when, to show how much alike they looked. It will certainly always go along with the other decorations, so Dixie will always have her ‘Special Spot’ in the show line.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Coleman Wins In Calgary
Alberta, Canada’s Calgary Stampede, has always been one of the biggest rodeos in the world, with events ranging from tie down roping and steer wrestling, to saddle broncs and bull riding. This year, the Calgary Stampede upped the ante in each of the events, paying out a total of 1.6 million dollars, with $100,000.00 going to each event champion. The committee also invited up the cowboys of the PBR to compete for the top prizes. Ross Coleman (Molalla, OR) was the first cowboy in PBR history to take home a single ride paycheck of this magnitude when he was able to cover Jerry Nelson’s Copenhagen Tuff-E-Nuff in Columbus, OH, back in 2001 in the Mossy Oak Shoot Out Bonus ride. This past week he managed to remain the only bull rider to take home a $100,000.00 prize when he rode his eight bulls at the rodeo, including the three time Canadian Bull of the Year, Shiver & Shake from Kesler Rodeo Co for 92.5 points. With this win Coleman was able to cross the million-dollar mark for career earnings (making him ninth in career money earnings, he’s only 27) and now sits in tenth in the race for the World Title standings.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Monday, July 03, 2006
Fritos Invitational
Last year he tied the record for number of wins in a single season with former world champion Cody Hart. This year he sat out for a few months awaiting the birth of his daughter. Now, Justin McBride has his first win of the 2006 season at the Fritos Invitational in Dallas, TX. McBride went into the championship round in the lead, and stayed there, without any trouble because every one of the fifteen riders in the round came up short. Cowboys the likes of Sean Willingham, Paulo Crimber, Allan Moraes, Luke Snyder, and current wo rld number one Guilherme Marchi all bucked off their draws. These bulls included the soon to be retired Mossy Oak Mudslinger (Willingham), Uncle Charlie (Marchi), Scene of the Crash (Crimber), Bells Blue (LJ Jenkins), Smokeless Wardance (Moraes), and last year’s bull of the year Big Bucks (Greg Potter). To say the least the championship round was fully loaded with talent coming from both the bulls and the riders.
High marked ride of the weekend went to Allan Moraes with a 90.00 on Wild Life in round two. Wild Life has been ridden five out of fourteen trips for an average score of just over 88 points. Moraes’ 90 point score on him was good enough for seventh overall. Top ten at the event were 1. Justin McBride (174.00), 2. Sean Willingham (173.75), 3. Corey Navarre (171.25), 4. Cody Whitney (170.50), 5. Josh Koschel (168.25), 6. Rogerio Ferriera (158.75), 7. Allan Moraes (90.0), 8. Luke Snyder (88.50), 9. Guilherme Marchi (87.50), 10/12. Greg Potter (87.250), 10/12. Jody Newberry (87.25), 10/12. L.J. Jenkins (87.25).
Current Standings Built Ford Tough Series:
Rider Hometown Pts Behind Leader
1. Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) -
2. Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira, SP, Brazil) -835.5
3. Sean Willingham (Summerville, GA) -1006.8
4. Mike Lee (Decatur, TX) -1207.0
5. Jody Newberry (Ada, OK) -1787.0
6. Chris Shivers (Jonesville, LA) -1944.8
7. Brian Canter (Randleman, NC) -2023.8
8. Wiley Peterson (Fort Hall, ID) -2374.5
9. Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, NM) -2446.8
10. Ross Coleman (Redmond, OR) -2891.0
High marked ride of the weekend went to Allan Moraes with a 90.00 on Wild Life in round two. Wild Life has been ridden five out of fourteen trips for an average score of just over 88 points. Moraes’ 90 point score on him was good enough for seventh overall. Top ten at the event were 1. Justin McBride (174.00), 2. Sean Willingham (173.75), 3. Corey Navarre (171.25), 4. Cody Whitney (170.50), 5. Josh Koschel (168.25), 6. Rogerio Ferriera (158.75), 7. Allan Moraes (90.0), 8. Luke Snyder (88.50), 9. Guilherme Marchi (87.50), 10/12. Greg Potter (87.250), 10/12. Jody Newberry (87.25), 10/12. L.J. Jenkins (87.25).
Current Standings Built Ford Tough Series:
Rider Hometown Pts Behind Leader
1. Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) -
2. Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira, SP, Brazil) -835.5
3. Sean Willingham (Summerville, GA) -1006.8
4. Mike Lee (Decatur, TX) -1207.0
5. Jody Newberry (Ada, OK) -1787.0
6. Chris Shivers (Jonesville, LA) -1944.8
7. Brian Canter (Randleman, NC) -2023.8
8. Wiley Peterson (Fort Hall, ID) -2374.5
9. Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, NM) -2446.8
10. Ross Coleman (Redmond, OR) -2891.0
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