Showgirls

Today's Topic: Showing Jersey Cows

It might seem crazy to get dressed up in all white clothes and parade around a ring. It might seem crazy to become "cattle hair dressers", teasing it, combing it, spraying it and giving them an essential royal treatment. It might also seem crazy to drive thousands of miles for cattle shows, truck the girls 14 hours across the states to Kentucky, or 13 hours to Wisconsin or stay for a week at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto at the Royal Winter Fair. Yes, it's all part of the game. The job. And the business.

Ever since I was old enough to walk, I was helping my parents show dairy cattle; with a white shirt and pants, a hatband or a harness and a lead strap in my hand. Growing up, I was involved in this culture, completing 4-H projects year after year, and doing my best with the jersey(s) I was showing. Well, 11 brown haired girls, countless local shows and 5 National Shows visits later, I still fine myself completely immersed in this culture several weekends (and sometimes weeks) of the year; along with thousands of other people. 

There is...so much to showing dairy cattle. I couldn't possibly think of every show moment or every single detail from the shows I have been too and sit down to write it all in a single blog. Countless hours of preparation, feeding, bedding, and clipping of hair. At the shows, you don't run on a good nights rest or a healthy meal. Sleep comes in small doses, food comes with "whatever is quick and easy" and your body hates you for several hours up until showtime. But then the day comes. Showday arrives and all of a sudden all the hours you have deprived your body of sleep, food and just plain common sense don't seem to matter anymore. You're instead running on adrenaline and the thrill of being able to show off your prize winning cows to friends, family, the general public and interested breeders and buyers. Ribbons, trophies, jackets, prize money and a picture in the winner's circle; and it's over just as fast as it began. And then comes more work; loading up, packing up, tearing down, etc etc. It's both physically and mentally exhausting. But in between the work, I can still manage to sneak in a pop...or two. Our farm has had our share of success in the showring at some of the biggest cattle shows in the world. This has lead to great business partnerships and a sense of belonging to a community; a community of like minded people who all love the same thing; showing cows. Just like how people show horses, chickens, pigs, dogs, or whatever the animal...it's a unique thing we do. 

I think in my second life, I'm going to be a show cow. A typical fair for one of our jersey cows is like a day (or sometimes week) at the spa; that's how I like to describe it to people when asked what exactly is involved in showing these beauties. A hot bath with soap, getting all your hair clipped, the best bedding and all the food you can eat. Then on showday, more manicure procedures take place; styling that hair with cow hair products, a black show shine added to the hoofs, a flower type spray to make them sparkle, shine and smell pretty and then, a walk around to the people looking on. Oh, and did I mention getting your ass wiped as well? Because that happens too. So to all of that, SIGN ME UP.

And yes you heard me right, cow hair products. A whole line of them. From hair dying colours, to soap and brushes, to clipping equipment, to hair dryers for blowing up and teasing hair...I would need a whole separate blog session to detail the players involved in selling this stuff to we, the "showgirls" consumers. It's a niche market, and they make a fortune.   

Even though I'm not quite as involved in my family farm operation as what I used to be, I love people that still say to me "You're just a farmer." Yep, just a farmer. The business that we are in, is a business just like any other. High pedigreed show cattle can go for big dollars. I have seen people spend up to $100,000 on a single female cow at public auction; only to turn around and DOUBLE their investment. If you have the genetics, the right market and the right sales pitch, you can make a dollar in this show industry that people regard as "just farming." Brazil, China, Guatemala, Denmark, India, Australia, Europe, Uruguay and so on...they all want Canadian genetics. And we can't produce them fast enough. Embryos (or "cow eggs" if you will) are being shipped daily, and literally across the globe. Every farm that is involved in this business, this business of marketing cows, strives to keep up with these markets and to find the next "great one." It's a whole new way of thinking. At the end of the day, the cow still produces it;s product and simple business strategy will tell you that the product is what creates the business. Only showing dairy cattle takes it to the next level. To have one of these prized possessions to call your own; it's honestly an experience like not other. It's so hard to write about it, you simply have to live it. 

So the next time you are out and about or you happen to drive by the local fair, take the time to appreciate the days of preparation that go into those shows. The hours of washing, bedding, feeding, training and grooming that go into those bovine beauties. It's a culture like no other. Call us crazy, but that's the business. And when you hit the business at full stride, you discover how insane we really are. The miles we travel, the hotels we stay in, the drinks we down and the friends we make; all thanks to the girls at the barn. Not bad for a group of big, hairy animals. Not bad for a group of showgirls.              

Views of some of the competition walking around the colored shavings in Kentucky in 2008. Our showgirls attended and our farm was their with a full lineup...it was an incredible journey!