Louisville...here we come

Louisville...Here We Come

11/15/2021

The cows are loaded, the trailer is busting at the seems and we are headed south to Louisville, Kentucky. This week we will be showing at the North American International Livestock Expo.

Louisville means something different for everyone. It is a national show where people and cows gather from all over the country. For some, it is the biggest show they attend and for others it is the start of something new.

For us, Louisville means the start of show season. It is the debut for many of our cows, which brings a different level of excitement. The first time a cow stands before a judge, you get a pretty good idea of whether its going to be a good year of just another year.

Last week was busy making final preparations and some last minute unplanned preparations....like replacing the brakes on the trailer.

Walker has been diligently washing cows just about every day.

The barn is now his domain.

One of the advantages to Isaac being away at college has been his viewpoint each weekend. When you see the cows every day, you become barn blind and can't always see the changes and progress in the cows.

We have been fine tuning our feed program and dialing in each cow. Change can be slow and many times it feels like you are not making any progress.

When Isaac comes home each weekend, he is able to provide a different perspective. He is more readily able to see the change from just a week ago.

This year, we will be showing four cows. Kennedy and Autumn have shown at the Miniature Hereford Junior Nationals and the Ohio State Fair.

Lucy will be making her debut this week at Louisville.

Lucy was an unplanned purchase a this summer. We didn't buy her to add to the show string, but she has just keeps getting better and better, so I thing she has found a permanent spot on the trailer.

Colt is Walker's first calf and he is having a lot of fun with him.

Colt has a great demeanor and is best friends with Lucy. We had to separate Lucy from the rest of the show herd following her surgery so she didn't rip her stitches out. Colt stayed right by the gate so he could continue to be close to his best buddy.

With the onset of colder weather and the daily baths, the cows have been getting nice and fluffy. This weekend they got their show haircuts and it is amazing what a little grooming can do.