Livestock judgers, the D1 athletes of the Ag side of campus. While I never judged at the college level, judgers are a breed I’m quite familiar with as I’m permanently attached to a judger now turned judging coach. Though I only competitively evaluated livestock in my FFA days, today my friends, fiancé and his students fill my life with knowledge about livestock evaluation and the special quirks of livestock judgers. Below are 15 signs you too might be a livestock judger, like so many special people in my life!
1. You workout all the time, but never at a gym.
You workout regularly, for long periods of time, but the workout is more likely to involve cattle and sheep than dumbells. Anyways, who cares about washboard abs when you can pick out a good show steer?
2. You talk to walls.
Before the coach listens to a set of reasons, the wall, a fence post, teammates or the hillside probably heard them first.
3. there are never enough steno books. ever.
When you aren’t constantly filling them up with notes, they seem to disappear, especially right before you are about to leave for a contest.
4. placing cards show up in the strangest places….
These can be found in between the couch cushions, on the floor of your car, the laundry, on the bottom of a shoe, in my kitchen drawers…..they’ll show up just about anywhere!
5. the dry cleaner knows you by name.
He or she also knows you like your jeans with EXTRA starch and a nice crease down the middle.
6. focusing on your “classes” has nothing to do with school.
If we’re being honest, you probably miss more class than you attend. And you just might get dirty looks from the non-judging students when you get to make up those tests and quizzes you missed.
7. 50 is your favorite number.
It’s the only number that can help guarantee a happy coach.
8. you’re a pro at surviving sub-Sahara & sub-zero temperatures.
Is there a blizzard outside and school is canceled? Doesn’t matter for you because judging practice is still on. If it’s 102 degrees with high humidity or snowing with a wind chill of -2 degrees, you can be found braving the weather, looking at livestock.
9. many of your stories involve “the Van.”
What happens in the van, doesn’t always stay in the van.
10. You take interesting detours on road trips.
Your family and friends are accustomed to you pulling the vehicle over because you NEED to check out the cattle in that pasture or you MUST get a second look at those heifers.
11. you eat, breathe, sleep livestock.
When you’re not evaluating livestock, you’re talking about livestock, looking at photos of livestock on the internet, thinking about the sets of reasons you have to give later or dreaming about the kind of livestock you hope to own. AND you enjoy that every minute of your life revolves around livestock.
12. everything in your life is ranked from 1-4.
Is there any other way?
13. You’re comfortable talking on a microphone.
When you’ve given 39280485 sets of reasons, what’s one more?
14. There’s no hour of the day that you wouldn’t look at livestock.
You’ll get up at 3:00 a.m. to be in the van on time or you might stay up all night for an extended practice.
15. others look up to you.
Whether you realize it or not, there’s someone younger always watching what you do. It doesn’t matter if your name is called first at the American Royal or you no longer compete and simply just a few county shows, there are other livestock enthusiasts who can’t wait to be just like you.
Do you have any to add to our list? Tell us in the comments!
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