Saying YES and showing (off)
Life has taken me away from my blog a little lately, and am missing it (and you guys) enormously.
If you have been around here a while, you will know I love over-committing myself. Well, I don’t really LOVE it. I love saying YES, often without thinking. According to my husband, I do it a lot.
And I have managed say ‘Yes’ in spectacular fashion lately – helping organise and market a World Congress (a bovine-related one), helping prepare and travel our own animals for showing (not my field of expertise, but I try to do my bit), preparing clothing, camping gear and display items for our family and helpers for a week away for Beef 2012, and (most exhaustingly) try to whip our house paddock (including house and yards) into some kind of shape for a busload of visitors (which I said ‘yes’ to) travelling through just before the Congress. On top of all the regular stuff we do out here.
The Congress and Beef 2012 kick off in just two weeks. The dust is flying (metaphorically and literally) around Granite Glen. And to cope with the ever-increasing mountain of jobs to be undertaken, I have become a list-maker extraordinaire.
This is about 1/5 of it.
I thought that (besides whinging about how busy I am) I would quickly share a handful of images I snapped at Wandoan Show last weekend (Wandoan is a teeny town a few hours drive west of here).
There are many hours of work that go into showing – which is kinda like a beauty pageant for cattle.
Washing, grooming, feeding, buffing, picking up poo (keeping it real folks)… I need to point out (again) that I am NOT an expert at showing. I can hold a hose and use a rake and wield a brush, but the finer details I try to leave to the experts.
This is just before showing commenced – aren’t the girls pretty all polished up?
Entrants were vying for these ribbons and the nod of the judge… there were veterans of the showing game there (including the bloke on the microphone) and some newcomers like these two below.
I love seeing young cattlemen and women of the future getting stuck into this kind of thing. Go boys!
This is one of our girls, led by Jeff who is an expert in showing cattle.
She won a minor placing in her class. It was her first show (and her calf too) and we were delighted they behaved well throughout. Nothing more embarrassing than a runaway pageant contestant.
This is this guy, a favourite here at Granite Glen… he was a good boy too (although he hates his nose ring – clearly not a punk at heart).
This is Lila, our neighbour who helps us out every now and then. At the moment, ‘now and then’ is pretty much full-time! She used to show horses, and has taken to showing cattle like a duck to water. Our little bulls grabbed a couple more ribbons in a very big class, and we were happy with their form.
Knowing how to show each animal off to their best advantage is the trick. I am not talented in this field – I did lead one animal later in the day and spent the entire time working out which hand to hold the stick in. (FYI the stick is not for whacking – it’s for scratching the animal and soothing it – some like it on their tummies, some under their necks!).
Lila is a natural show off expert. (Heh)
I absolutely loved being part of this event, even as one on the perimetre of the action – the atmosphere, the smells, the camaraderie.
Just as I will love being at Beef Week in a fortnight. It’ll be bigger than Wandoan by about, oh, 100 times. (Here are images from the last Beef Week, three years ago).
So if you are around Rockhampton showgrounds between May 6 and 11, drop into the Brangus area to say ‘g’day’.
I’ll be the one saying ‘yes’ to someone. And in need of coffee. And possibly a hug.
🙂
BB
14 Comments
jeanie
Lovely looking list!!! Good luck – and remember “write list” should be ticked, and make sure there are a few “time for Me” boxes in the whole she-bang too. (me as in you – not me as in me – ykwim)
jeanie´s last blog post ..Blessings from abroad
Bush Babe
LOL. You ARE funny… will have that ‘time for me’ checkbox AFTER Beef I suspect. Of course, then it’s weaning time. *sigh*
Theresa in Alberta
For a very BRIEF time in my life I showed dogs…..I never knew one could show cattle! thx for the “edumacation” BB
elliek
Do you put rings in cows noses to, the pic you called one of our girls had a ring?
BB
Yes, all grown cattle must have rings to show – there is rarely ever any pressure put on the lead from the nose ring, used only briefly if an animal plays up while being shown. 1000kg of bovine can take some pulling up!
🙂
BB
Lynda M O
Lovely looking cattle. Summer’s over and fall’s commencing; I hope it cools off for you all.
Kelly
Seeing kids involved reminds me of our County Fair in the autumn and all the animals the 4H kids show. Local businesses bid on them in the auction after the show and often let the kids keep the animal after paying top dollar for it.
Kelly´s last blog post ..Shadow Shot Sunday #77
Nancy in Iowa
BB, you live in a fascinating world!!!
Colin (HB)
Great photos from the show. Brings back great memories from ” yonks” ago.
I think your Brangus look magnificent.
When the now rare cattle trains come to Brisbane, I love to be standing on the overpass bridge and smell the cattle “aroma”. Everyone else races away from the “stench”! So funny, the slower the train goes by the happier I am. I sure get some “funny” looks! ha ha.
Cheers
Colin
Hippomanic Jen
I hope all goes well with whittling down those lists.
BB
Thanks hon… I whittle and I add. Minor issue!
Fiona
I share a little of the same issue with the inability to say No, BB. I am going to try and find you during a quiet time (maybe an impossibility) at Beef and share a coffee. I do wish you every success, and well imagine the depths of your “busy-ness” over the next two weeks. Hope your congress goes off with a bang.
Fiona´s last blog post ..Rollin’ down the Road
Sal
Now that is one swanky list I must say! I reckon I could take a leaf out of your book there! Better than my list of lists on scraps of paper that require deciphering more than reading… The only good thing about any list is the stuff that we can cross off! Here’s to much getting crossed off your list in surprisingly quick time. Well, we are counting down here too! For our own trip away to Rocky. Count me in for a call in to the Brangus stand! I have an idea just how busy you might be, but hope to catch up briefly! All the best for the Congress, your farm visit, for Beef week and for weaning! Living life to the fullest – no doubt about that! Good on you, I have no doubt that there is many who appreciate your efforts. 🙂 See you where the sun will hopefully be shining and the weather a tad warmer!
Oopsiemumma
No wonder you’ve been stressed!
Oopsiemumma´s last blog post ..Confessions of a toddler’s mummy