MouthBQ98 said:

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2% of the population is some degree of clinically psychopathic. They may not be sociopaths or extreme but they can be self absorbed, narcissistic, and manipulative and lack empathy to an abnormal degree. Interestingly it is not unusual for ladder climbers to possess these traits to a significant degree but typically not in the extreme

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Also known as the First Wives Club.

While this is a horrible thing and she should face consequences for her actions, I think it's safe to say many teens do stupid things. Even if the court shows leniency due to this being a first offense remember that she has suffered in the court of public opinion. This has made international news and will show up on background checks the rest of her life, even without a conviction.

aggie0959 said:

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We will be spending the night in the barn at county this year with my daughter's lambs. There has been some drama in the county that came to a head this year and a few families feel it's best to be there 24/7 to make sure cooler heads prevail. We have cameras in our private barn to make sure there is something to document. There is way too much money tied up in these animals to chance something happening. The kind of money that is thrown around to try to win a show is ridiculous. I watched an online sale for a show wether (castrated lamb) for 75k. They consistently go for 5-10k a piece.

During my wife's show career in the steer barn and even now for my nephew there is a family member that stays over night in the bar to keep "accidents" from happening.

These animals are drug tested after wining. also they have to weigh with in a stated weight (5# for sheep/ goats 10# for pigs , cattle is a percentage) it is very easy for someone to inject, feed, or water an animal to get an animal weighted or tested out.

County shows are the worst for this kind of behavior it is commonly refers as "Hate Your Neighbor Week" because everyone wants to be king of their home town.

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Your experience is why I encouraged my kids away from show animals and into the educational competitions (Ag ID, CDM, L4L, etc.)

Once I saw the number of judges who are allowed to breed and sell the animals they judge, I knew the fix was in. There's simply too much money to be made by creating the vicious circle of awarding your animals GC or RGC, and then raising your stock prices because they are "winners".

I've seen it time and again.

Burdizzo said:

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Ginormus Ag said:

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I thought goats could eat anything? At least that is what I learned from my kids book Gregory the Goat, the Terrible Eater. Gregory the goat's parents were worried that he wouldn't eat trash. I don't want to ruin it for you.

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Bill Grogan's goat was doing fine
Until it came to that strichnine.

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I competed in 4-H (sheep and market lambs) in New Jersey and had the time of my life. Christine Todd Whitman even bought my market lamb one year. (Back when NJ elected Republican governors, ha ha)

Anyway. What I have seen and heard about in Texas livestock showing made me sad for how my kids would not get to experience what I did.

They are thriving and marching band is "their 4-H" in my eyes, but I have such great memories of healthy competition, chill parents, and a community of youth character development not focused on prize purses.

AgResearch said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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AgResearch said:

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All the stories here are why livestock showing ended with me and won't allow my kids to do it. It was fun and reasonable cost in the late 90s in my area. Now the same psyco stuff you all have experienced is going on up here too. Not worth it.
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I understand your rationale but really hate reading this. There are bad actors in every aspect of life. Both my kids raised livestock. It was a fun thing to do as a family. We didn't take it to the highest levels but did enough to have it be a net positive. Financially it was a break even at best when all aspects were considered.

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We used to pull livestock from our production herd (cattle and hogs), work with them during the year, and be very competitive at our county fairs. That's how it was and should be today.

It's all a racket supported by judges that help breed and market the several thousand dollar calves or piglets as well as the AI genetics.

Don't have one of their approved animals....well you're bottom half of the class as soon as you enter the ring. I could name names from the Midwest that are in on the fix down into Texas as well. Their animals are sold in both locations and judges travel back and forth.

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All my show calves came from our herd or within a couple of miles of home. As time went on, I learned why all the heifers in my calves classes were bigger than mine at major shows……..we told the truth about when they were born.

There should be a "Best in show" style movie about this, like Best in Show meets Clue

HTownAg98 said:

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Having a breeder acting as a judge is a gigantic conflict of interest, and I'm surprised it's even allowed.

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Oh, so we're supposed to have, and abide by, principles!? Ppppffffttt!

Having a breeder as a judge happens all the time at local, State & National shows. Should be a conflict of interest but it's something that has been allowed at all 3 levels for decades

Son showed lambs for 3 years…steers for 2.

Spent $12K on the last steer…worked hard on it…showed well

Didn't even make the sale at county.

It's a big money game and plenty of shady parents.

We're done showing unless one of the girls wants to get into the lamb barn again.

I hear you. I know of families that have 6 figure budgets for the procurement of prospects for a season of major shows.

Showed heifers and steers in my youth and my two sons showed steers in ffa recently. I am completely soured on the experience due to the way it is now. They enjoyed the chickens so much more than the steers.

This young lady and her family are typical.

Business associate has kids that show. Their family has been involved in shows for at least 3 generations and has other family connections with breeders. Every time he comes back from a major show and doesn't make the show, his comment is, "We don't know the right people."

Livestock judging when I was in FFA was really difficult for me because so much of it seemed subjective.

Buck Turgidson said:

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TxAg82 said:

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torrid said:

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Note the belt buckle.

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I mean... in what world is the FFA president NOT a future Aggie?

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She's probably headed to Tech now.

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Tceh isn't a choice but a consequence

Atreides Ornithopter said:

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Buck Turgidson said:

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TxAg82 said:

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torrid said:

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Note the belt buckle.

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I mean... in what world is the FFA president NOT a future Aggie?

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She's probably headed to Tech now.

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Tceh isn't a choice but a consequence

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Tech went stole Ryan Rathmann who is a Aggie and also ran A&M Livestock Judging.

Perhaps the goat talked to her like in that movie the witch

Atreides Ornithopter said:

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Buck Turgidson said:

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TxAg82 said:

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torrid said:

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Note the belt buckle.

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I mean... in what world is the FFA president NOT a future Aggie?

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She's probably headed to Tech now.

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Tceh isn't a choice but a consequence

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Get your grades up or it's Gunz Up

BurnetAggie99 said:

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Atreides Ornithopter said:

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Buck Turgidson said:

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TxAg82 said:

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torrid said:

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Note the belt buckle.

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I mean... in what world is the FFA president NOT a future Aggie?

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She's probably headed to Tech now.

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Tceh isn't a choice but a consequence

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Tech went stole Ryan Rathmann who is a Aggie and also ran A&M Livestock Judging.

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Livestock judging is big at the collegiate level.

Former FFA chapter president and pig showman here. I never showed anywhere beyond our local school district show and county fair. All the expense and politics of the big show circuit was a turn off for me even back then. That said, our three local chapters that shared a barn and showed together were all great kids always helping each other out and never had any inkling of foul play. I can't imagine what goes through people's heads to do something like this.

Burdizzo said:

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Business associate has kids that show. Their family has been involved in shows for at least 3 generations and has other family connections with breeders. Every time he comes back from a major show and doesn't make the show, his comment is, "We don't know the right people."

Livestock judging when I was in FFA was really difficult for me because so much of it seemed subjective.

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Sounds like a dance competition or any other competition for girls (gymnastics, cheer, etc) where artistic presentation is valued. I had a kid in dance. However, I preferred traditional sports where there were definitive winners and losers. My other kids were in sports.

HTownAg98 said:

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It's been a while since I've been on the show circuit, but I would bet money on the fact that the kid isn't the only crazy one involved here. Parents can take this stuff wayyyyyy too seriously.

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My oldest daughter taught high school math. She was pretty hard core for a couple of years as far as pass/fail stuff, then changed her tune a little. If a kid was trying, came in for tutoring, was not a problem in the classroom, and the kid was pretty close to making the grade, she was more willing to be lenient. But if the opposite were true, tough luck.

She failed a kid who was an *******, didn't try, etc. Kid's mom requested a conference and she rim cut my daughter's butt, going on and on about my daughter not knowing the money they had invested in whatever animal the kid was raising, somewhat threatening her. But my daughter did not relent. A few nights later, someone picked up a piece of river rock from her neighbor's yard and broke her then boyfriend's back window of his pickup. Never could prove who it was but she had her suspicions. That was her last year to teach.

Canyon Lake Agbu94 said:

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Showed heifers and steers in my youth and my two sons showed steers in ffa recently. I am completely soured on the experience due to the way it is now. They enjoyed the chickens so much more than the steers.

This young lady and her family are typical.

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This. Before I condemn the young lady I would take a close look at the parents.

Pretty sure the mom is a realtor in cedar park area and the dad owns some kinda of equipment business

Maybe I missed it in the article, she said "I don't like cheaters". I think she should be punished to the full extent of the law, but as others have stated, shady parents and other things, there has to be more to this story. Just a shame she was wearing anything related to A&M.

What youth activity has not been ruined by money and obsession?

Lots of people cashing in on parents buying their kids a trophy, ribbon, or scholarship

The idea Canyon posted is great, but I'd fully expect plastic surgeon vets to pop up within two years.

sam callahan said:

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What youth activity has not been ruined by money and obsession?

Lots of people cashing in on parents buying their kids a trophy, ribbon, or scholarship

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May have gotten worse in the last 40 years, as many families have only one or two kids.

When you had 7 kids, you weren't staking your ego on a single kid

sam callahan said:

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The idea Canyon posted is great, but I'd fully expect plastic surgeon vets to pop up within two years.

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The county only shows will never work. Got to have State shows like Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, San Angelo, & Dallas.

Take my kids showing steers. We do very well showing. All the winnings go into each kids account. The winnings can be used for college or whatever when they choose when they are done.

Take my son who's a Sophomore at A&M studying Electrical Engineering. He started when he was 9 years old showing cattle. We hit the summer shows, County, and the majors.

By the time he was done showing he had won 200k in winnings. Also got a scholarship from Houston when he had the Breed Champion Limmy steer. We place steers at every major every year in some capacity. Have won multiple breed champion at majors and so forth.

My girls have had success as well and will have started to accumulate all the winnings from showing just like my son. They plan to follow my son and attend A&M.

It's great to win at your county but every county is different. Our County is this coming weekend. It's not a terminal show, kids keep their animals to take to major show if they choose to do so.

The auction is based on how animals place at the county show. So everyone gets something. The money for the auction is raised through local Burnet County businesses which goes into the Burnet County Livestock Show Buying committee.

They are already out there.