Why Showing Cattle is a Sport

It's no secret that people who are involved with showing cattle are extremely passionate about what they do. From the breeders, to the fitters, to show management, to the exhibitors and families showing the animals...there are extreme amounts of drive, determination, and competitiveness running through those barns and show rings. Most would say there are lots of parallels between showing cattle/livestock and playing a sport. Can you relate to any of these?

Dedication and responsibility: at the very minimum, people who show cattle must care for their animals every day for 365 days of the year - no matter the weather, day, or other obligations. Many who show cattle also wash/rinse their animals every day to help grow hair to prepare for shows of all levels. Much like an athlete who practices every day and has a responsibility to their team, these animals require lots of dedication and responsibility from their owners.

Teamwork: Just like playing a sport, it's extremely hard (or maybe even impossible) to show cattle alone. You need a support system behind you to help keep things cared for at home, on the road, and on show day. You also need mentors, coaches, and friends to help you along your journey. In addition to the human teamwork, that's secondary to the teamwork and bond between exhibitor and animal. Once you hit the show ring, it's you an your animal in there - and it's up to you to rely on your teammate to see success. 

Practice: The more you practice, the better you get! Much like athletics, there are many aspects of the cattle showing "game" that require practice. Showmanship, fitting, clipping, livestock evaluation, and more. The more you do it and the harder you work, the better you become.

Competition: There are lots of different levels and goals when showing cattle, just like there are with sports. Some exhibitors and families do it to simply enjoy themselves and spend time together doing something fun. However, there are other exhibitors and families who dedicate their lives to showing cattle and their goal is to win at the highest levels. Neither is right or wrong, good or bad...but healthy competition definitely finds its way to the show ring.

Hard work, skill and strategy: Sports aren't the only things that take skill and strategy! No matter what your goals are for showing cattle, there will always be lots of hard work that comes with it. From halter breaking, to daily feeding, to working hair, to loading up and going to a show...it takes lots of hard work, skill, and strategy to make sure your animal is dialed in and looking their best when it hits the show ring next time. 

Family involvement: Whether you're 2 or 102, showing cattle is great for family members of all ages. Young kids get to watch their older siblings fall in love with their animals and the industry, and older generations get to re-live some of the best years of their life by watching the younger ones with their livestock projects. Mothers and fathers get to help their kids chase their dreams while getting to walk down memory lane themselves. Memories are made, work ethics are developed, and outstanding humans of all ages are developed. 

So, there you have it! Showing cattle and playing sports aren't as different as some may think. The next time you have someone who doesn't see the correlation, make sure you show them this article. :) best of luck at all the summer shows!