Where do I learn show and pre-show techniques? (cattle)

[Imissmygirls]

AMysflock, I'd put the show halter on loosely over the rope halter for a few days. Make sure it's adjusted properly: that can make all the difference in control. Fold/tie up the ends of it and just work the rope halter.
IMHO, a show stick is window-dressing. A welltrained animal can be handled by halter alone. What I often see is that pastured beefers are not as tame and handled as much as dairy and don't respond to the halter movement as well, so they need to touch with the show stick to move feet.
AS a beginner, I don't think you need the distraction of thinking " now what do I do with the stick." Concentrate on the animal on the end of your halter until you feel what she will do before she knows it.

LOL It will take a season or two of fairgoing to train them, but by the time they get to be oldsters they will be showing YOU! That's why you see little kids at the halters of old cows. Those cows know exactly what to do in the showring.

 

[amysflock]

We did finally get the show halters on over the rope halters last night. T-Bone couldn't stand the sight of it and was playing hard to get, preferring to stay away from his grain bucket rather than be close to the halter. I got Annabel's on, though, just fine. T-Bone came over to her to get into her bucket (by force as usual) but when he saw that halter on her he backed away!! After a couple of minutes we were able to get his while he was tied to a post, and he didn't even fight it. We left it on overnight so they both could get used to the noise since that seems to be the biggest problem. We took the leather lead strap off, but we might try it today just to see what happens. DH wants to go fishing so he's trying to finagle working the calves twice today so he can leave early in the a.m. and come home late without me reminding him we missed a training day!!

As for the show stick, I agree it might be a bit much for me, but I may try it with Annabel just to see what she does. She's doing pretty well now stopping with her front feet under her (I used my R foot under her to move her R foot forward, and she now does it on her own). They are both starting and stopping well with the rope halters, and neither has thrown a fit in two days, so there's progress!!

 

[Imissmygirls]

APPLAUSE

Twice in one day is fine. They won't forget in 24 hours and your hubby will be easier to live with
Go easy on the show stick. They might spook at first with that, too.
A stick can be used in herding cattle to make a person look larger in mass(size) to the animal. With a show stick, you don't want that interpretation at all.

 

[amysflock]

I actually used a show stick yesterday at my friend's Highland farm to try and help corral one of her stubborn (and very smart) cows. I like my arms better, though...but will be very careful with how I move the show stick with the calves. Mine is a white stick so it's highly visible. I'm thinking if I walk with it next to my leg it might be less noticeable, and then I can try using it. What's the best approach to using it for the first time?

 

[Imissmygirls]

You are so close to fair time that I would concentrate solely on halter and lead work. Around here beef aren't led that much, they mostly stand for show.
Walk a circle about the size of a showring (varies ~40 feet?) then pulling them into a lineup on a diameter of the showring. Always try to face them uphill, never downhill. Around here we do have some fair showrings in a slant!
Concentrate on stopping them into the right position and having someone take a pic or critique the way they are standing so you recognize the correct stance when you are at the lead. ( View is different when you are at lead-- you need to learn what looks right to the judge, not you.) Walk them , then stop them into position. repeat, repeat, repeat. Don't fuss when they are standing. Walk them away( or circle them) and repeat the stop instead.
Here it is acceptable if an animal is unruly to circle them tightly back out of a lineup and bring them up into the lineup in the same spot. Competitors should give each other enough room for this if at all possible.
Once you get to the fair, ask for help with the showstick. There should be practice time to try out the showring late at night or during a lull in the program. There will be some comradery in the barn so don't be shy.
Actually, most of the fun of showing is the friends you make in the barns!

oh... and around here they double-tie beef animals with a rope halter AND a neck collar at the fairs. Not sure if that's the case everywhere. Personally, I seldom trust only halters as ties on any cattle. I spent too many nights as chaperone chasing critters whose brandy-new halters loosened at the fair. [Acceptable method of catching is to WAKE UP the owner sleeping on the straw and let THEM do it!]