t-bone and morgie

This was really a FUN morning for me! Our county fair is now in progress and the 4H groups and FFA groups are showing their animals! What a great experience for these kids - I can't even tell you! I looked around the indoor arena and watched all the little kids running here and there, walking animals, holding animals, showing the animals they raised all year! Then I thought of all the children in the big cities and recognized just how fortunate these kids were to have these amazing programs - and to live on farms!

The judging was to start at 9 a.m. and I was there in plenty of time. Morgie is living the life I wanted for myself as a kid! Yes, I'm living my childhood all over with her.

The pictures shown here are of Morgie showing her steer, "T-Bone" in the ring in front of a judge - and a tough judge at that! In the pictures you can see her holding a long 'stick' with a hook on the end. This 'stick' is used to gently stroke the belly of her steer to keep him calm. It's also used to straighten their feet for the judge when they aren't lined up correctly - giving a gentle prod moves the animal into line. Also, you'll see a picture of a 'comb' in Morgie's back pocket - it's used to brush the hair of her steer after the judge touches the coat - it's VERY IMPORTANT that they do that or points are deducted!

Well, LONG STORY, SHORT, "T-Bone" took FIRST PLACE! ! ! "High five, Morg!" I tied the ribbon onto "T-Bone's" halter so he could be a PROUD-steer and within 30 seconds he had it all eaten - poof, just like that! The judges thought that was pretty funny and gave her another one! So much for that idea!

Morgie was pretty serious throughout the entire competition and the only time I saw her 'crack-up' was in the LOWER LEFT picture when he decided he needed to PEEEEEEEEE - right in front of the judge! "Ya gotta GO, when ya gotta GO!" - that's my slogan!