Easter Cattle Show

Easter Cattle Show in Schagen (NL)

André Bergmans

The town of Schagen is located on an old mound, on the west side of the West Frisian Circular Dike. Inhabitants from the surrounding West Frisian regions have been visiting this provincial town since the Middle Ages.

Every Summer on Thursday mornings, Schagen has markets based on different themes such as dance, music, costumes and ring tilting. Old trades are shown or re-enacted. Visitors are further taken back to a bygone age and look at a colourful procession of historical coaches and

inhabitants in traditional West Frisian costumes. If you are a good listener, you can experience the different flavours of the West Frisian (Westfrysk) dialects that are spoken. Westfrysk, though spoken less and less, belongs to North Sea Germanic, also known as Ingvaeonic, a postulated grouping of the northern West Germanic languages that consists of Old Frisian, Old Saxon and Old English!

Easter cattle market

Another event that is well-known (and notorious) is the Easter cattle market. This is held ten days before Easter. Why Easter? People are celebrating spring and the nearing end of the (meatless) Lent. Everybody is preparing to enjoy life and farmers and butchers happy enough to show what they have in stock.

To set the scene; during the market there is an absolute ban on alcohol from the early morning till 12:00. Obviously, the serious cattle show and a contest take place, but most of the partygoers can be found in and around the various ‘catering’ establishments surrounding the central market square where the party really takes off after 12:00.

The party is based on the old tradition amongst farmers, cattle breeders, tradesmen and butchers to have a drink in the pub after the deal was settled by the old ritual of clapping hands. Normally the event is quiet and peaceful but quiet is a relative concept here.

Criticism

Cattle shows are under heavy criticism by animal welfare organisations. Their main reasons are that the often-long transport, washing, cleaning and show amidst a cheerful crowd is extremely stressful for these animals.

Especially when you take into account that most of the animals already have been sold to the butchers to be slaughtered just a few days after the show. All this just for the ego and pride of the farmers, butchers and the entertainment of the general public.

The many double-muscled animals are bred to ‘produce’ as much expensive steak as possible. This at the cost of walking or even lying down easily. A calf of a double-muscled animal can only be born by a Caesarean section meaning an operation for the mother every year. This year the animal rights discussion was sparked again as one of the bulls in Schagen fell down, died on the spot as a result of fatigue and stress as can be seen in one of the images. Of the many cattle shows we had in the Netherlands in the past, only two are left.

Chain of events during the market

In the early morning when it is still dark, the first animals are unloaded and brought to the designated spot on the market. Unloading is usually not a smooth process as animals resist coming out of the truck. After unloading they are washed and brushed and groomed with, for example baby-oil. Some get an extra shave to make their muscle structure clearly visible for the international jury. Shaving also has the purpose the releasing the heat better, especially for the more fury animals. The general idea is to present them as champions and win one of the many prizes in their category. Honestly speaking, all the criticism, I can observe that these farmers do care for their animals and they have good reason; it’s their business and their way to make a living.

The selection of the champions takes place in various rounds by a preselection of the total jury and later by a final selection using boards with numbers. The strongpoints and flaws of each animal are explained to the audience by the chair of the jury. Every detail counts; muscle structure in all areas, leg structure and bones in general, skin and general build and of course presentation.

The contestents, in the end, go home (after visiting one of the many pubs) and the party goes on way beyond closing time.

Every year, with mixed feelings, I photograph this show with the idea in my mind that this could soon become a historical event from a bygone era.

All photographs copyright of André Bergmans.