If there is one person every kid who has ever shown a calf, pig, lamb, goat, chicken, horse, llama, etc. has to thank, it's our dads. Yes he is the man who gets way too competitive on show day who you usually end up fighting with at some point in the day, but let's face it, we couldn't have gotten very far without him. Stock Show dads are a staple for stock shows. Livestock kids have the best dads in the world, and here's why:
1. We are wrapped around their fingers. Girls and guys alike. It's hard for them not to open the wallet a little wider at the sale barn when you absolutely fall in love with that barrow or steer. They make snide remarks all the time about how your show feed costs more than their mortgage, yet they still go buy pallets of it weekly. Trust me, my father is the biggest cheap ass you will ever meet. However, even with many comments about my sister and I running his bank account dry, one of his most famous lines is "The money I spend on the showing thing is money I am not spending on rehab." (Though, it kind of concerns me my dad thinks my sister and I would be drug addicts if we didn't have the animals)
2. They aren't afraid to tame the crazy ones. Whether it's that Duroc gilt who refuses to step foot outside or on those days when your gelding is feeling extremely fresh, stock show dads will always take the bullet. While you probably have more of the patience needed to break these bad boys, your dad has the authority to put the fear of God into them. A few sessions with dad, and that heifer who seems to always be in heat on show day is more than willing to walk and set up perfectly like she's supposed without an ounce of crazy in her.
3. Stock show dads don't sugar coat life. Not everything is kittens and butterflies. Animals get sick and hurt. Sometimes they die and there's nothing you can do to prevent it from happening. When fair is over and you have to put your beloved steer on the semi, they aren't there to hug you and say "He's going to a better place." No, he's there to say your animal has a purpose. It's purpose is not to be a pet. It's purpose is to provide a protein source for someone else in the world. You raised it to be safe and wholesome. It's job is not ending when it leaves the farm and fair, it is just starting.
4. They are masters on running on little sleep. Those early mornings and late nights can absolutely suck. Nevertheless, stock show dads are always the first ones awake and the last to sleep. They don't mind long hauls in the wee hours of the morning while you snooze during the 2 hour trip to the fairgrounds. They wake up an extra five minutes earlier to make sure your butt gets up on time, and they stay up an extra five minutes to check on the animals one last time for the night. Even with all this, they never once complain about how exhausted they are. Stock show dads are the closest thing to the Energizer Bunny you will ever find.
5. They aren't afraid to let you fail. You aren't always going to be the best at everything. Some days you will actually be the worst at something. Some days you're going to get the gate. Some days you're going to screw up your showmanship pattern and get a *gasp* red ribbon. Some days you may do everything perfect and the kid next to you is still going to beat you. That's life though. Your dad doesn't tell you to quit showing after one bad show or one bad ride. They sometimes yell at you for making a stupid mistake, but then they get over it and teach you to do the same. Life, like the show ring, is full of failure. Stock show dads don't shy away from it. They teach you to learn from it and to try better next time.
6. Stock show dads aren't afraid to push their kids to their full potential. There are days where you are beyond frustrated with your animals. They aren't bracing right, they aren't standing right, they aren't walking right. You're hot and frustrated and about two seconds away from throwing in the halter or show stick and marching back into the house. But your dad won't let you. Instead he yells at you. Which makes you even more frustrated. However, it also makes you much more determined to prove him wrong. That means you'll stay out in the barn for hours fixing the problem just to shut him up and put him in his place. Some people would define this as reverse psychology. By pissing you off, your dad is secretly pushing you because he knows you can do better. Who knew stock show dads were so sneaky like that?!
7. Their approval is the best kind of approval. Nothing in the world compares to that moment you exit that show ring, banner in hand, and the first thing your dad does is hug you or pats your back or says "I'm proud of you." Their compliments are extremely rare, so when they happen you know you have done something right. We have a strong hate relationship with our show dads during show prep but we have an even stronger love relationship with them. They are the only ones who truly understand the joy you feel after a big win. They know how much time, effort, sweat, and tears went into that moment. They feel it just as much as you do.
Show dads are few and far between. The few of us involved in showing livestock know how extremely lucky we are. Not every dad can be a show dad. Not every kid can have the bond with their dads like we do. Hours spent in the barn and miles spent with a trailer are the times we will remember most with our old man, and we wouldn't change that for the world. Happy Fathers Day to all those stock show dads out there :)
1. We are wrapped around their fingers. Girls and guys alike. It's hard for them not to open the wallet a little wider at the sale barn when you absolutely fall in love with that barrow or steer. They make snide remarks all the time about how your show feed costs more than their mortgage, yet they still go buy pallets of it weekly. Trust me, my father is the biggest cheap ass you will ever meet. However, even with many comments about my sister and I running his bank account dry, one of his most famous lines is "The money I spend on the showing thing is money I am not spending on rehab." (Though, it kind of concerns me my dad thinks my sister and I would be drug addicts if we didn't have the animals)
2. They aren't afraid to tame the crazy ones. Whether it's that Duroc gilt who refuses to step foot outside or on those days when your gelding is feeling extremely fresh, stock show dads will always take the bullet. While you probably have more of the patience needed to break these bad boys, your dad has the authority to put the fear of God into them. A few sessions with dad, and that heifer who seems to always be in heat on show day is more than willing to walk and set up perfectly like she's supposed without an ounce of crazy in her.
3. Stock show dads don't sugar coat life. Not everything is kittens and butterflies. Animals get sick and hurt. Sometimes they die and there's nothing you can do to prevent it from happening. When fair is over and you have to put your beloved steer on the semi, they aren't there to hug you and say "He's going to a better place." No, he's there to say your animal has a purpose. It's purpose is not to be a pet. It's purpose is to provide a protein source for someone else in the world. You raised it to be safe and wholesome. It's job is not ending when it leaves the farm and fair, it is just starting.
4. They are masters on running on little sleep. Those early mornings and late nights can absolutely suck. Nevertheless, stock show dads are always the first ones awake and the last to sleep. They don't mind long hauls in the wee hours of the morning while you snooze during the 2 hour trip to the fairgrounds. They wake up an extra five minutes earlier to make sure your butt gets up on time, and they stay up an extra five minutes to check on the animals one last time for the night. Even with all this, they never once complain about how exhausted they are. Stock show dads are the closest thing to the Energizer Bunny you will ever find.
5. They aren't afraid to let you fail. You aren't always going to be the best at everything. Some days you will actually be the worst at something. Some days you're going to get the gate. Some days you're going to screw up your showmanship pattern and get a *gasp* red ribbon. Some days you may do everything perfect and the kid next to you is still going to beat you. That's life though. Your dad doesn't tell you to quit showing after one bad show or one bad ride. They sometimes yell at you for making a stupid mistake, but then they get over it and teach you to do the same. Life, like the show ring, is full of failure. Stock show dads don't shy away from it. They teach you to learn from it and to try better next time.
6. Stock show dads aren't afraid to push their kids to their full potential. There are days where you are beyond frustrated with your animals. They aren't bracing right, they aren't standing right, they aren't walking right. You're hot and frustrated and about two seconds away from throwing in the halter or show stick and marching back into the house. But your dad won't let you. Instead he yells at you. Which makes you even more frustrated. However, it also makes you much more determined to prove him wrong. That means you'll stay out in the barn for hours fixing the problem just to shut him up and put him in his place. Some people would define this as reverse psychology. By pissing you off, your dad is secretly pushing you because he knows you can do better. Who knew stock show dads were so sneaky like that?!
7. Their approval is the best kind of approval. Nothing in the world compares to that moment you exit that show ring, banner in hand, and the first thing your dad does is hug you or pats your back or says "I'm proud of you." Their compliments are extremely rare, so when they happen you know you have done something right. We have a strong hate relationship with our show dads during show prep but we have an even stronger love relationship with them. They are the only ones who truly understand the joy you feel after a big win. They know how much time, effort, sweat, and tears went into that moment. They feel it just as much as you do.
Show dads are few and far between. The few of us involved in showing livestock know how extremely lucky we are. Not every dad can be a show dad. Not every kid can have the bond with their dads like we do. Hours spent in the barn and miles spent with a trailer are the times we will remember most with our old man, and we wouldn't change that for the world. Happy Fathers Day to all those stock show dads out there :)