Riding Shotgun
The Supremes
As we travel the highways and by-ways of the Limousin family and breed we often cuss and discuss the cattle business , sports , politics , great cheeseburgers and most of the time , the promotion and marketing of Limousin cattle .
Through “ Riding Shotgun ” we invite you to join us in the righthand seat , so that we can let you in on what we find to be our marketing pet peeves , shortcuts and some of the favorite habits of top-flight professional producers . Grab a cup of coffee and take the ‘ shotgun seat ’— we are pleased to have you riding along .
We would like to take this space to congratulate all of the “ Supremes ”. If you have been watching L365 and social media , it is obvious the Limousin Show Heifer is making quite a mark around the countryside . At State Fairs and Jackpots everywhere , the Limousin female has made her way to the top of the heap . The exhibition of all the breed champions together is a relatively new phenomenon , in the U . S . Thirty years ago , when I judged the Royal Melbourne Show in Melbourne , Australia , it was the highlight of show the week with the show of the breeds taking place in a soccer stadium , with more than 10,000 cheering Aussies in attendance . The judges were the judges from various breed shows , and we had our results publicly posted and had to talk reasons .
I ’ m glad to see we are bringing this into the show programs here , and I think it is satisfying that our cattle are not only winning their share but are also making people that don ’ t normally watch the Limousin show , observe what functional , performance-oriented , sound creatures you the breeders are creating and exhibiting . THANKS go out to all exhibitors who fight the parking , camping and show crowds to exhibit for the rest of us ; you are making an impression we all are benefiting from . CONGRATULATIONS and a big pat on the back to the winners , you have beat them all and even if you don ’ t win you have impressed someone . GO Limousin !
In the fall of 1977 , I spent four of the best months of my life as a member of the Mizzou Livestock Judging team . Ten of my current best friends and I spent many mornings and late nights traveling around the Midwest stopping at as many as six farms a day and talking reasons on 10 classes a day of hogs , sheep , horses and cattle . We missed every football game our senior year ( Mizzou was horrible ) to learn how to make a decision and defend that decision in two
minutes or less . I went to places I never thought I would see like : Glenkirk Farms , HampAn Farms , Forkner Durocs , Weaver Angus , Wiese Herefords , Sydenstricker Angus and many more that left us with new ideas , new knowledge and personal relationships that are still strong today , 45 years later .
Thank you , Dr . Greg Martin and all the breeders nice enough to make classes for us and to serve lunch , dinner and maybe a cold beer . Thanks for the new ideas and discussions I remember to this day . I got my first job and every other one since because of the judging team and have enjoyed a life in the livestock industry every day .
This brings me to my closing comment . I will bet that a FFA , Junior College or College coach would love another place to stop and judge for two hours or all day . Find a team in your area and call them up . Offer your place and some hospitality . Figure out how to show them at least a couple of classes of four head and a small part of your operation . Get some sandwiches and chips together and be a salesman for 20 minutes . The person you make an impression on may be the next buyer of your top heifer or herd bull . Their dad or grandad may take their advice and show up on your doorstep the next time they need seedstock . If nothing else you will spread the word , Limousin , and that ’ s a good thing . If you don ’ t know who to call , call me , I ’ ll find you one .
See ya down the road .
CONTACT THE AUTHOR Mark A . Smith email : grgenetics @ aol . com phone : 515-229-5227
24 • OCTOBER 2021