Why We Show
I wasn’t going to write anything this month. Shifting seasons bring the promise of respite on the back of dropping temperatures but not until all the loose ends are tied off. What I call farm work (the outdoor kind without a screen in front of me or budgets or emails) needs my time. There’s no room for negotiating with the weather. Considering this reality, it sounds bizarre telling you that we intentionally leave the farm with animals in tow more than once this time of year. I began to feel it was irresponsible, irrational even. We discussed exhibiting our sheep at fewer events next year. The required expense in the form of both time and money seems selfish to use. Now we’ve walked that all back – as far back as the beginning you could say. Showing sheep is not at the core a part of our farm business but it is why we’re farmers today.
Showing sheep is what opened the door to my everything. It was the beginning for me to harness my adoration for animals, what kept me motivated through school and encouraged me towards college, and where I found my life partner. As my broadening adventures in the sheep industry have expanded my feelings about showing have shrunk and expand and shrunk again. Not attending many shows during 2020 was perfect for our budding business. Being away from it also had us unsure of how much we wanted to get back into that routine. The show ring, like everything, has its faults and can push us to extremes. With a well-balanced approach it does so much good for us and our sheep though. To start, Colin and I both wouldn’t be here farming and shearing if it weren’t for our first experiences showing 4-H livestock. Plenty of shearers, veterinarians, 4-H educators, and struggling kids turned well-rounded adults have found their way starting with a single show sheep. We learn to work for the animals, for a purpose outside of ourselves. We walk into a show barn prepared to exhibit our work through another living creature. That animal’s health, cleanliness, and breeding is up to you and goes on display for a judge and all of your peers to evaluate. Lessons learned go far beyond animal husbandry to include credibility, communication, and how to shake the hand of someone who lost to you with the same respect as you would someone you lost to.
Participating in these events is just as much about the people. Exhibiting livestock at public fair is not for our convenience. It’s an opportunity to educate a population more distanced from agriculture than ever before. People of all ages will have their only interactions with livestock at these events. Communication about and responsible representation of our industry can become the foundation for lifelong perceptions. The community to be found within carries even more significance. And that is what hit me this past week in Springfield. The barn at the Big E is full of people from all different walks of life and regions. Jokes are made that we’re a group of misfits but in many ways it’s true. Still, in that barn that you will find the greatest friends many of which you’ll only see one or two times per year. This dynamic fosters a sense of reunion every time, like a big family coming together for one special holiday. It was at these events where a younger version of myself shed a debilitating shyness and very carefully began to spread my wings. As silly as it might sound, this is where I felt most welcomed from a young, vulnerable age. That atmosphere of belonging has had a lasting impact.
Our sheep didn’t have the greatest run this show season and we expected it. We’re still moving through the transitions that come with merging two farms and flocks. Add onto that our enrollment into NSIP plus selling more lambs the past two years than we would have normally and we did not set ourselves up well. Headed into the season, I felt ready to let it go. I thought this could be our last year showing. The past week wiped all of that away and reminded me of why we do this. There isn’t a moment I can recall that wasn’t filled with a laugh or a smile shared with friends I haven’t seen in over a year. That’s it. I don’t have the words to describe how refreshed my heart feels. The emotions that accompany bottoming a class or receiving a winning handshake from the judge doesn’t come close to the weight of emotions felt by simply being there, around my people. This is why we have always shown up and why we will continue to show up and exhibit our sheep. I love showing off my animals but we’re really going for the people.
Cheers,
Siri
photo by KAK Images