Let the insanity begin! With the BC Spring show starting today, the 2012 show season officially begins. While everyone gets really excited about spring shows and finding that diamond in the rough 47-inch summer yearling. I find myself asking, “Does spring show really matter that much?”
To find answers to this question I checked out the results of the 2011 All-Canadian contest to see which animals were exhibited at spring shows last year:
- Stone-Front Iron Pasta (All-Canadian Mature Cow) was exhibited at U.S. Midwest Spring National
- Rockymountain Talent Licorice (All-Canadian 4-Year-Old) was first and grand champion Expo-Printemps Holstein Quebec.
- Silvermaple Damion Camomile (All-Canadian Junior 3-Year-Old) first and intermediate champion BC Spring Show
- Stanhope Leah Goldwyn (Reserve All-Canadian Junior 3-Year-Old) first at Great Lakes Spring Show
- Lindenoord Goldwyn Albany (All-Canadian Senior Yearling) third Expo-Printemps Holstein Quebec
- Pappys Goldwyn Rave (All-Canadian Intermediate Yearling) fist U.S. Western Spring National Show
- Trefle Anick Goldwyn (Reserve All-Canadian Intermediate Yearling) fourth Expo-Printemps Holstein Quebec
- Leachland Gold Medal (Reserve All-Canadian Junior Yearling) second Ontario Spring Discovery
- Hardy Gold Diamond (All-Canadian Summer Yearling) fourth Expo-Printemps Holstein Quebec
- Kingsway Atwood Delicate (Reserve All-Canadian Summer Yearling) first Ontario Spring Discovery
- Delcreek Fatal Attraction (All-Canadian Senior Heifer) fifth New York International Spring Show
- R-E-W Happy Go Lucky (Reserve All-Canadian Senior Heifer) first at New York International Spring Show
- Maheufils Jasper Janice (Reserve All-Canadian Intermediate Heifer) fourth Expo-Printemps Holstein Quebec
A Closer Look
Therefore, thirteen of twenty-eight, or forty-six percent (46%) were at spring shows. Let’s take a closer look. Consider that, other than 2 year olds and milking yearlings, most cattle that were exhibited were well-established show cows. The ones that were not were either too late in their last lactation or calving in the summer for the fall show season. In addition, most 2 year olds and for sure milking yearlings have not calved yet. These facts make it’s hard to consider the cow classes as an indicator of the relevance of spring shows.
By far the most interesting result is that of the 12 All-Canadian or reserve heifers 9 of them were exhibited at a spring show. That’s 75% of them that were found by spring show time. Most people think that the great show heifers are found as diamonds in the rough through the summer and the county fair show season, While I am sure the guys that run the roads looking for that next great one are looking just as hard all year long, it goes to show that by spring show time, many of the great show calves have already been found!
The Bullvine Bottom Line
As you head out to the spring shows, keep a close eye on the heifer classes. Chances are you will see many of the same animals at the top of the class come Expo and Royal time!
