K-State Judges at Summer Synergy

WORDS BY JEFF GAYE

Schaake & Mullinix set to judge at Summer Synergy this July.

If exhibitors keep a book on the various judges they show under, what would “the book” say about Scott Schaake and Chris Mullinix, two judgesfrom Kansas State University who will be in Olds for the Summer Synergy show?

Schaake, who coached the Kansas State Livestock Judging Team from 1992 to 2013, laughed when he heard the question.

“Funny you say that, because I've actually seen one of those books,” he said. “And they actually track ‘this particular judge likes this or likes that.’”

The book entry for Schaake is that he is “a fanatic for structure.” He doesn’t describe himself as a fanatic, but Schaake says structure is important.

“Back then I was doing a lot of steer shows, and of course in a market show you probably put a little more emphasis on muscle as the final product.But I still think structure is a reflection of all the animals in the population, not just the steers. So[the exhibitor] and I had a long discussion about that. Why do you think structure is so important in a steer? I said well, that steer has sisters somewhere around the country too and they've got to look like a female.”

Schaake grew up on the farm his family still operates in eastern Kansas. “When we showed cattle I thought the guy judging was just pretty cool,” he said. Schaake started in livestock judging at the age of 10, and his parents encouraged him toget comfortable with public speaking—a key skill for a judge in the show ring.

Left to Right: Kandi, Scott & Shilo Schaake, and Shane & Melissa Schaake run a family-owned Simmental operation in the Kansas Flint Hills.

Image credit: Legacy Livestock Images

“So it is kind of natural for me to be able to give oral reasons, just because I did a lot of speaking growing up when I was in 4H and FFA [Future Farmers of America],” he said.

Schaake did well at livestock judging, and worked his way up in competition. He ended up on the Kansas State judging team that won the national championship in 1983, and he placed as the high individual judge in the contest.

As Kansas State’s coach, he led his teams to five consecutive national championships.

Mullinix is the current livestock judging coach and an instructor at Kansas State. He grew up on his family’s cattle operation in Maryland, and like Schaake, he caught the judging bug at an early age.

Schaake is well respected in the judging circles for his ability to communicate with even the youngest exhibitors.

But the opportunities on the east coast don’t match what the Midwest has to offer.

“It's a big reason why I was drawn to Kansas State University to study as an undergraduate. The opportunity to follow my interests academically in animal sciences, but also a chance to be part of a collegiate judging team,” he said.

“So that's kind of how I got started into doing it, and I've had a lot of good fortune.” That good fortune includes following Schaake into the ranks of high individual judges at Nationals.

The Animal Sciences program at Kansas State has been home to great teachers over the years. Schaake and Mullinix, who are both currently on the faculty, had the benefit of outstanding mentors.

“Don Good would have been one of them,” Schaake recalls. “You know he judged about every show in the world and was just such a great leader. And another fellow by the name of Miles McKee. He was always a favourite judge of mine. I just loved going to shows and listening to Miles discuss the cattle on the microphone, and his ability to communicate with people and judge shows. It was just incredible how he could do that.

“Later on I was able to have him as an instructor in class, and he was just as exciting in the classroom. People like that get you excited about doing shows. Joe Lewis would be another one, I'm sure a lot of people in your country would have had Joe a time or two come up and judge shows in Canada.

“And of course all of those but Miles are deceased, and it's time for the new generation.”

Mullinix has another name from Kansas State. “Dr. Schaake is certainly a very important mentor,” he said.

But Mullinix takes most of his inspiration from the producers in his family, starting with his parents. He also considers his younger brother Randy, who farms with his wife Jamie, an important influence.

“I've made a career decision to be in education and to work with young people, and they have stayed in production,” he

Mullinix describes a class while sorting the market steers at the National Western Stock show.

Image Credit: ShowChampions

said. “That's very valuable from a judging standpoint for me, but also for me to help educate young people. I have to stay in tune with what is happening every day in the industry, and he gives me that opportunity to do that.”

For Mullinix and for Schaake, teaching and mentoring are a big part of keeping young people in agriculture. Judging, exhibiting and producing livestock instill a work ethic and a sense of responsibility that will serve them no matter what career path they choose, which is handy: there are few opportunities and few rewards in agriculture for those who don’t see it as a way of life.

“They can make a whole lot more money and do a whole lot less work outside of agriculture,” Schaake said. “And for a lot of young people, to get involved in agriculture is tough—they have to either have a great banker, or be lucky at inheriting a big ranch or work their way into a family program.”

But an education in agriculture pays dividends for the industry even if young people move on to other careers, Mullinix said. “Even if they choose other career fields, they will be positive spokesmen for agriculture. And we need that as much as we need good people in agriculture.

“Obviously we need these young people going back into production and taking over these farms and ranches, and doing it even better in the next generation. But more importantly probably, and we're really seeing it now, we need people in other walks of life that appreciate agriculture,” he said.

“And we're really at a turning point right now, where so many consumers really don't know or understand where their food comes from.”

Mullinix gives a young exhibitor the slap during the 2018 Supreme Champion Heifer Drive at the Houston Livestock Show.

Image Credit: ShowChampions

Both men say it’s people, as much as product, that make the beef industry great.

“I don't think there's any question about it,” Mullinix said. “The people that manage these farms and ranches and have done so for so many generations in their families, the passion that they have for what they do and the way that they go about it no matter how things change, no matter what obstacles we have at a given time. The people are our number one asset.”

Schaake says ranching is a great way of life, and that’s what keeps people in the industry. “I see that even more so up there [in Canada], and particularly the Alberta region. You know when you look at livestock or cattle producers, it's just a great family business.”

But Schaake also says that good food value is a key strength of the industry. Beef is a protein of choice, he said, and the industry has a role feeding the world as inexpensively and efficiently as it can.

“I think we're really pretty good at it,” he said. “If you look at our industry over just the last 20 years, how far we've come along not only in the genetics but our ability to feed cattle, they're efficient. We can do it fairly cheap.”

The people in the industry make the judging life enjoyable for both Schaake and Mullinix. They have both traveled extensively, and they have both been judges at some of the biggest shows. But when pressed to name a favourite show, they have a hard time.

The big shows in Denver, Colorado and Louisville, Kentucky come to mind for Mullinix, largely because of the high quality of the livestock. But it’s not the scale of an event that makes it enjoyable for him.

“You know, those places pop in mind but there's people and acquaintances you make everywhere you go that make each place unique,” he said. “Lots of times at the small ones, the enjoyment comes from getting to really be engaged with the people that are there.”

For Schaake, nothing beats a county fair. He started showing livestock at the county level, and eventually went on to state and national competition. While he was growing up, the family vacation was a week-long trip to the county fair. So for him, the best show is the one he’s at.

“I would say this: I don't know that I've ever judged a show that I didn't say was a favourite show of mine,” he said. “I just enjoy them all. And even something as

simple as a little old small county fair. I think the reason it's special to me is because that's where I started, so even the small shows are favourites of mine.”

In the ring, Schaake says it’s the right combination of traits that will carry the day. In his experience—"whether it’s a dog show, a cattle show, hogs or whatever”— judges get into trouble when they single-trait select. “It's easy to do, but it really doesn't get us normally in the right direction,” he said.

So instead, a good judge will select for a balance of traits. “Structural correctness or soundness would be one of those at the top of the list. You know the breeding females need to look like females, they need to have some refinement,” he said. At the same time they also need to have some growth and size, some body and some ability to gain weight.

“I mentioned earlier our industry's become really efficient. But that only happens if you get the right kind of animal, and we know that cattle have to have some body, some muscle, some frame so they can grow and be efficient and do it pretty cheaply.”

Mullinix agrees.

“The first and most important thing that I'm looking for is an animal that represents the kind of production traits that can be viable and effective in any breeding program, in any basic environment,” he said.

His first criteria will be correctness of feet and leg structure, and the amount of natural body volume an animal has. “Those traits relate to their ability to go out and produce effectively and efficiently for a long period of time, so those basic production traits are going to rank at the top of my list,” Mullinix said. From there he will evaluate secondary (“but very very important”) traits like balance or additional appeal in an animal.

“Maybe some differences in growth rates or visual performance are going to play a role in my decision,” he said. “And then we get into things like sex characteristics. If I'm judging females, their femininity. If they're mature cows with calves beside, the quality of their udder is certainly something that is going to play a role in my decision.”

For bulls, masculinity and testicular development will be factors.

“But first and foremost I'm going to try to find those cattle that have the correctness of structure and the right kind of body volume to take on the role that they ultimately have to play in production,” Mullinix said.

When it comes to advice for exhibitors on show day, Schaake is straightforward. “You know,” he said, “here's what I always told my boys: you win the show months ahead of it. It's all the preparation, all the work, everything you do at home. And then really in order to win the show, if you've done all your work at home, then you have to have that stroke of luck. And if all the stars line up then you do well.

“You don't win the show the day of the show,” he said.

“That advice may be geared as much toward juniors as anyone,” Mullinix adds. “That's probably especially true for juniors who have to learn that that day is a wonderful event. But if you're not prepared for show day then you're not going to have the success you want.”

And according to Schaake, success in the ring isn’t the biggest prize. “Someday,” he says, ”that ribbon or that plaque or that trophy will really mean nothing to you. It's all of the other skills that you've gotten from showing livestock that are going to be lifelong skills.”

Schaake has visited Canada several times. He is impressed by the animals he’s seen, but he especially appreciates the role that shows play in the Canadian beef industry.

“The thing I like is that there's still a lot of value in Canadian cattle shows. Breeders still make decisions based on results from shows. You know here in the United States, the shows are more of a social event, I would say. Whereas in Canada, I think there's still a lot of mating decisions and a lot of cattle that are sold and marketed via the show.”

This summer’s trip, including Summer Synergy, will be Mullinix’s first time judging in Canada.

“I'm really excited,” he said. “The opportunity to go your direction and judge some shows is something that has definitely been on my short list of things that I hope to do in my career. So I can't wait to get up there.

“I expect it to be incredibly high quality. I can't wait. I do have an appreciation for those breeders over the years that have come to the States, and even some genetics that have originated in Canada that have played such a huge role and in so many different breeds here in the United States.

“I fully expect it to be an awesome experience.”

So a Canadian exhibitor’s “book” on Mullinix will beblank, at least for now. What does he expect will be in it after the summer?

“I hope first of all it starts with the word consistent,” he said. “I really do feel like I have an ideal in my mind and I stay very consistent, very true to what I believe is the biggest priority in evaluating cattle.

“The second thing that I sure hope is in there is simply the word ‘fair.’ I don't care who owns the animal, how many times it's won a previous show. I'm going to evaluate what I see on that given day.

“And then the third thing that I take a lot of pride inis my ability as a communicator. I've found over the years that when you go to events that have outstanding livestock, that generally means there's a large number of animals that you could justify being the overall winner of that given show. And you know no matter what, if you take the time and the effort to be at that show, if you've really worked hard, only one person can be the champion on that given day. That means there's going to be several that are disappointed. And I understand that. That's part of competition.

“My hope at the end of the day is not that you're happy that someone else maybe beat you or placed higher than you, but that you are satisfied with the explanation I gave.

“So I would say if they see me as consistent, they think I'm fair in my evaluation, and they can understand why I made it based on the way I've communicated those thoughts, I'd be very happy if the book on Chris Mullinix included those three things.”

Summer Synergy runs from July 9 to 13 at Olds Regional Exhibition.