Top 5 Showmanship Tips

2. Know your animal.

“Not all cattle are set up the same,” says Stierwalt. “You need to know what your calf looks like from a judge’s point-of-view to show them with the best result.”

For some exhibitors it may come naturally to correct flaws with their project, while for others it may take some time to see what the judge sees in the showring. While one animal may need it’s head held a bit higher, another might need it’s back touched down just a bit more. Practicing both on the halter and off, can help exhibitors identify flaws and learn how best to correct those flaws in the ring.

3. Walk into a staggered position.

One of Dave Allan’s top tips is learning how to walk your cattle into a staggered position to minimize showstick use for feet placement. “Practice at home by taking the last several steps, switch hands while walking backwards looking at the back feet, and walk them into staggered position,” says Allan. “By doing so, most of the time you’ll only have to move the left front foot. You’ll be set up quickly and avoid a lot of time spent on unnecessary shuffling of the feet.”

4. Set, and don’t forget.

Both Allan and May emphasize that while many parents tell their kids to watch the judge and smile, too often young exhibitors end up staring the judge down and disregarding presentation of their animal. “Exhibitors spend months preparing for a show. To be competitive you need to watch your animal. First and foremost you need to get them set up, then look for the judge,” says May. Allan adds, “You need to know where the judge is to correctly set your animal up and watch for cues to get pulled, but priority should be on making sure your animal is set up properly.”