Flashback

Last evening I decided to drive to Sweetwater to the Nolan County Coliseum where the 2014 Nolan County Junior Stock Show was going on.


Specifically, I went to see the steer show.  I'm not sure, but I would say that 1971 probably was the last year I attended,  so forty-three years later I returned to what use to be an annual ritual.


Back then, there was the county show and the six county show.  There was no premium sale, but prize money was good.  It was a two day event sandwiched between the Sandhills Hereford Show in Odessa and the Roscoe Stock Show leading in and the Abilene Regional Livestock Show and El Paso following closely.  Of course Forth Worth, San Antonio and Houston came later in the year.


I have to confess, I am the reason that schools revamped their policies regarding stock show absences and student participation.


I remember 1969 very well.  In the six weeks following Christmas break I missed 27 out of 30 class days.  What a deal.  All of my teachers but one were cooperative with me making up work I missed. One, Ms. Eula Reeves, the math teacher was not.  She refused to give me any makeup work and for that six week grading period I received a zero for her class.


I remember her lecturing me that what I missed school for would never benefit me and that what she was trying to teach me I would use for the rest of my life.


I am sure that later that spring when I won reserve champion steer at Houston she cringed.


In retrospect, after selling the steer (Peppy was his name) for what was a then world record price, I should have enlisted her help in counting the sale price money and the prize money.  The steer sold to Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Brown of Orange, Texas.


To bring the Eula tale to an end, it was necessary for me to go to summer school to make up the work.  That in itself is another story because summer school was a joke.


Back to yesterday.


The only person I recognized in the arena during the steer show was Scott Fullwood.  He seemed to be in charge of things in the arena.


They had two classes of steers, lightweight and heavyweight.  I didn't catch the bottom weight or where the classes broke, but I did hear something about 1300 pounds and I believe that was the top end weight.


(WOW, Peppy in Houston was a middle weight at 951 pounds. Now he would not even make the minimum weight required.).


As the steers came into the arena I was looking them over.  Of course rules have changed, the animals hair is cut a uniform length all over, no type of sheen or shine is applied to the hair, the animals face may be clipped, and the tail cannot be teased or fluffed on the end.


Mentally, I began placing the class on what I could see from the stands.  Much to my chagrin, the steer I started the class off with was placed in fourth.  The steer I placed in fourth was placed first and the second and third place steers were flipped.


In an even more bizarre move, when the judge began pulling animals, he pulled the bottom end first and set them aside while he worked on the top end placing.  In a totally confusing move he placed the class from right to left instead of left to right.


So we moved to the next class.  After seeing the judge work the first class I did considerably better.  I picked the top two correctly and I also picked his eventual champion and reserve champion.


I find I still look for a leggier, long bodied steer.  I guess you could call it a rangier looking animal.


It was interesting to revisit.


While I was there Jason came by and visited for a moment.  He said they had their pigs and lambs weighed in and had their chickens settle in as well.  I said, "chickens?"    He laughed and replied, "Yes, it began as a joke but it turned out they are pretty good chickens!"


I  laughed and told him I have no idea how they judge chickens.  Me, I judge it like, 1. Ma Allens, 2. Golden Chick and so on and so forth.


The boat project continues.  I gave the guys a directive yesterday that the repairs we make now, I want to last 44 years.  This is the last time I am going to mess with the floor in the boat.


The shredder is still running and Slats will finish the bottom at Wastella today and move to the top side.


Our wheat is coming on after a slow start.  A rain blessing would sure be welcome.


Grade cards are slowly coming in.  Lots of light barkies which is an enigma to me.  What would they be if we were running a conventional bat and brush set up.  My only explanation is the two ice storms prior to harvest.


I would be remiss is I did not mention the passing of Maria Sainz,wife of Mario (a long time employee of Pepa) and mother to Marshal, Little Mario and Estella.  Our heart felt condolences to them all.  Maria had a very difficult last few years.


Have a day!


FATHER, thank YOU for memories and experiences.  I lift up Maria's family for your gifts of comfort and care.