Show season means fun and opportunity
January means an opportunity for livestock producers and their families to go to three signature events in the High Plains.
Cattlemen’s Congress is underway through Jan. 14 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The National Western Stock Show is Jan. 10 to 25 in Denver, Colorado. The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is Jan. 16 to Feb. 7 in Texas.
These events, distinct in their own way, meet a need for ranch families to not only reacquaint themselves with others, but also to acquire new relationships to build their livestock operation. It also allows young adults to participate in judging contests, sharpening their skills.
Retired farmers and ranchers enjoy seeing friends and reminisce about different eras in agriculture.
Just as important is venues provide an opportunity for rural and urban cousins to meet and gain a better understanding of each other. In these times that is more important than ever. Each generation that is further removed from production agriculture is one less ambassador group available to relate the story of how ingenuity, hard work, stewardship, and prayer are often integral in a successful livestock operation.
The above-mentioned shows pay homage to the relationship between ranchers and consumers and demonstrates it can be accomplished in a fun and informational manner. It takes leadership and the shows demonstrate what happens when rural and urban interests identify mutual needs.
Rural interests need grounds that can accommodate large trailers and vehicles. They also need arenas and facilities that can handle animals—large and small—and designed so that people and livestock can be safe.
Urban interests need shows that can expand their sales tax base and build on hotel capacity. Those leaders also recognize that western heritage is an ideal that needs to be shared with their residents.
With nation’s cowherd remaining at historical lows, it is going to take patience by producers and consumers to return to normalcy—whether that can ever be defined or attained is always going to be a subjective discussion. Regardless, the need to build genetics and foster conversations about productivity and consumer tastes is timeless.
The National Western Stock Show and Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo for more than a century demonstrated they meet those ideals. Cattlemen’s Congress, while a newcomer to the stock show circuit, organizers have already demonstrated they follow a similar script.
January is a great way to start the livestock year. If you can attend any of them you will be the beneficiary and it is a staple to paying back rural and urban leaders. Take the time to thank them.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
