EXECUTIVE CORNER
Reflections
ON HOUSTON 2022
by Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) executive vice president Houston 2022 was a great event. We had a good contingent of Brangus breeders at every event and meeting. I witnessed plenty of folks having fun at the barn parties, and the auctions were well attended and well supported from everything I could see. The Foundation raised a generous amount of money from the embryo auction, and the Juniors were able to generate over $50,000 from the Legacy heifer donated by Cavenders. Speaking of the Juniors, it has been reported to me by more than one person that when our Junior Board members manage the ring at a show, they truly impress people who are watching and many people make it a point to say so. They are always polite and sharply-dressed. They also know exactly what they’re doing and manage the show ring as professionally as can be done.
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April 2022
Like many others, I sat in the stands and tried to outguess the judge. I always give the judge the benefit of the doubt because he or she is up close and can see the cattle from every angle. There were a good number of classes where the difference between the class winner and others was exceedingly small – right down to the point of personal preference, which is why we hire a judge. The quality in many of the classes ran very deep. Anybody watching the show who was not familiar with modern Brangus surely came away impressed with the quality of cattle being shown. I was in the ring when the champion drive was taking place for the females. I didn’t envy the judge. He had his work cut out for him selecting the “best” female from an incredibly good line up of division champions. Every breed of cattle has the “show folks” and the
