Showmanship Contest
Good showmanship requires an investment in time.
By the time your animal reaches the show ring, a large investment in time and resources has been made. Attention to detail in areas such as genetics, nutrition, housing, health, and more, can help to produce a successful animal project. Most of this work is done at home, out of the public eye, with the support of parents, siblings, FFA advisors, 4-H leaders, and others. Showing animals takes a great deal of commitment and is truly a team effort.
Now the time comes to put your efforts on display. You enter the show ring to have a judge evaluate the job you have done with your animal. Months of hard work come down to a few minutes of an exhibition in front of a judge and a crowd of people.
The primary goal of any showman or woman should be to make the most favorable presentation possible of his or her animal in the show ring. To achieve this goal, a good showman will have a high level of awareness of the positive and negative conformation aspects of their animal, current show-ring etiquette, and the rules of the show.
Showmanship Contests – General Rules
- There will be Primary, Jr., and Sr. divisions.
- Refer to show division for specific criteria.
- The exhibitor must show his own animal. No one will be allowed to participate unless they have an official entry in the show and division. Exhibitors of chapter or club animals may compete in the showmanship contest, 1 per club/chapter by designated club leader or chapter advisor.
- Awards will be given to the top three (3) showmen in each show category.
All animal shows at the Suwannee River Youth Livestock Show and Sale include a showmanship contest. In some of our animal shows showmanship is Mandatory and in others, you must Register your animal to participate in this contest. Refer to your animal show for the specific rules covering your animal project.