By EMILY BENNIGSDORF
The summer of 2018 was the start of the Beef Division’s show season at Fort Hays State University. This last summer, the division started looking at potential heifers for this upcoming show season.
The process starts with judging the heifers in pens, looking at the structure of the females such as frame shape, depth of body and how clean the animal looks in her muscle physique. The students and division manager, Mike Stoppel, started working with the heifers, getting them ready to show at many locations.
The heifers started by learning what a halter is and walking on one. Halter-breaking animals is a long process and takes dedication. Making sure the animal is tame and comfortable is one of the biggest aspects of the show world. If the animal becomes spooked or aggravated, it could kick, jump or pull the shower around the ring.
The animal must learn to walk on the halter in a line, which is typically one animal after another. Livestock also are washed with shampoo and a conditioning treatment for their hair. They are blown dry and fitted, also known as clipped, to showcase strengths. The animals tend to become more comfortable with the blower and the clippers the more they are exposed to them. Most showmen don’t start with these items on the animals but turn them on so the animals don’t become nervous or flighty.
The judge usually will have the showman walk the animals out in a line to see each animal walk and get a look at most angles of the body. The showman will set up the animal to stand in a certain position. In cattle, this is with the head lifted to show how the animal comes out of its shoulder. Its front hooves will be lined up together while one of the hind legs is straight down from the hip while the far back hoof is pulled forward under the stomach.
The Beef Division has taken heifers to three shows this season. The first show was the Kansas State Fair, which was during September in Hutchinson. The heifers placed first in one class, second in two classes, fourth in one class and fifth in class Champion and Reserve Division. They walked away with the fifth overall prospect heifer.
The team went on to the American Royal in October hosted in Kansas City. At the show, the heifers were ready to show and placed first in two classes, second in one class, third in two classes, as well as third in class Champion and Reserve Division. The college came back with the Reserve Champion Overall Female as well as the Premier Red Angus Exhibitor.
The most recent show the college went to was the National Western Stock Show, otherwise known as the Super Bowl of the showman world. The Beef Division placed first, second, fourth and fifth in class. The heifers came back with the title of Champion Pen of 3 Red Angus Heifers Champion Division and the Division Champion in the Open Red Angus Show.
“We started working with these heifers during the summer, so it has been really cool watching them grow and develop throughout the year and all of the shows we’ve taken them too,” said Aaron Satran.
The genetics from all of the heifers originated from Miss Aja, who came from Mann Ranch in Olathe. Miss Aja is also the mother of the bull Redbox, who was the high-selling bull in the school’s inaugural sale.
“It’s nice to see that all of our hard work has paid off,” Satran said.
The Beef Division plans to keep going to shows in the future and bringing more titles back for Fort Hays.
