For many, livestock showing is a way of life. For others, it is a hobby. For some, showing livestock is like a sport—a competition that they can’t get out of their blood.
No matter why you decide to make livestock showing a part of your lifestyle, there is one thing you should consider. You will need to set goals, work hard and persevere. Like any sport, you have good days and bad days, and you don’t always win. But if you don’t stop trying, magic can happen.
At Sure Champ®, we understand that the ultimate goal in livestock showing is to hang the purple banner – getting to the backdrop. However, it isn’t always as easy as it looks. That’s why we develop educational resources for young exhibitors, their parents and leaders to help you #PreptoWin.
But more than just tips and tricks, we also make livestock products that support the health and well-being of your show livestock. It’s critical to keep your animals healthy, eating and drinking before, during and after livestock shows. And that’s what our products do.
As many exhibitors know all too well, you don’t get those purple banners and fancy awards just by showing up and smiling at the judge.
Let me tell you a tale about one exhibitor who set goals when she was showing Hereford heifers and Hampshire sheep many, many years ago.
Once Upon a Time. . .
Once there was a little girl raised in the Nebraska panhandle, and we’ll call her Suzy. She lived on a ranch with her parents where her dad was the herdsman – he cared for lots of cattle. Suzy knew she would show Hereford heifers because all the ranch owner’s kids also showed Herefords. Suzy’s parents told her she must set goals.
She was just a youngster, so in her first year in 4-H she cut out pictures in magazines of big trophies and rosette ribbons – it was the 1980s, after all. She hung those magazine pictures on the family’s refrigerator, somewhere that the family saw every day. Think of this as an early precursor to today’s vision boards.
Suzy worked hard. She rinsed her heifer daily, brushed her dry with a rice root brush, and she practiced showmanship every evening. That year at the county fair, she had champion Hereford heifer. Then, she won Grand Champion Heifer! She was so excited! It was the best feeling ever. Suzy had set her goals, focused on them daily and worked hard to achieve them.
Fast Forward
Not every livestock showing experience will turn out like Suzy’s inaugural year. Although she did have a three-peat performance claiming the Grand Champion Heifer trophy, Suzy soon started showing lambs. The sheep show was a bit of a learning experience. Although she still set goals, Suzy had some hard luck along the way, and not every time in the ring was positive. However, as she grew up and gained more experience in 4-H and eventually FFA, Suzy learned about the value of setting S.M.A.R.T. goals. These structured goals can make a great impact.
The Benefits of Setting Goals
Regardless of whether you are livestock showing or studying for a big exam, many benefits exist for setting goats. Let’s look further into three of the key advantages of setting goals.
1. Increase Productivity
You will undoubtedly work harder to achieve your goals, once you have a goal or goals set. A goal is a dream that you have written down.
2. Maintain Focus
Once you know what your goal is – say for instance – learning to fit the back leg of a calf, you are going to focus on attaining that goal until it is met and perfected. If you have something to focus on – the calf’s back legs, you are not going to mess around when it is time to fit the calf. You will focus on helping, watching and learning from others on your crew until they turn that task over to you.
3. Measure Progress
Goal setting helps you measure progress. If you don’t set goals, you never realize how close you are to achieving them or if you are progressing or getting better at a skill.
Let’s take Suzy as an example. When she started showing lambs, it was her goal to win lamb showmanship to advance to the Round Robin at the county fair. She placed about the middle of the class during her first showmanship experience at a summer progress show. She went home, worked with her lamb some more, and during the next show, she was in fourth place, making significant improvements. Every time she worked with her lamb, she strengthened the relationship between herself and her lamb, and every time she practiced showing, she made progress. By the time the county fair arrived in August, she was the reserve grand champion in her age division! She might not have won but was able to measure her progress by setting a goal.
The Elements of SMART Goals
Remember how we mentioned earlier that goals should be S.M.A.R.T? What does that mean? Every time you set a goal it should meet five criteria:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-relevant
Let’s break each of these criteria down further to see how you can set your own SMART goals in the year ahead with your livestock showing projects.
Specific
Every goal should be specific and sensible. That way you know where to maintain your focus as you work to achieve your goals. Like any good journalist or detective, ask yourself the five W questions:
- What do I want to accomplish?
- Why is it important?
- Who will help guide or mentor me?
- Where will I achieve my goal?
- Which resources or supplies do I need?
Measurable
A goal needs to be measured so you can track your progress and stay motivated (another fun M-word). How many times will I win a skillathon? How long will it take me to learn proper feed rations? How many show camps should I attend? Measurable goals tend to have a number associated with them.
Attainable
It is frustrating to keep working toward something we can never achieve. That is why goals need to be realistic or achievable. Yes, it is good to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone. However, don’t set goals so high that you will likely never achieve them, just setting yourself up for disappointment. Consider how you might accomplish your goal – working hard and having the proper resources. And in today’s era of livestock showing, this probably also means having the financial means, too.
I might point out in livestock showing, that the results in the show ring are one person’s opinion. It might not always be attainable to set a goal of winning X number of shows since that decision is not in your control. However, more realistically, placing in the top 5 or setting a goal that has more with learning a skill or is less subjective would be more attainable.
Relevant
Make sure your goals are relevant. Sometimes in livestock showing, we get wrapped up in winning, which is fun, but we forget about the most important lessons. Some of those lessons are camaraderie, learning new skills, livestock care, ethics and building relationships.
A relevant goal can answer “yes” to these questions:
- Does this seem worthwhile?
- Is this the right time?
- Does this match our other efforts/needs?
- Am I the right person to reach this goal?
Time-bound
Like everything else in life, your goals also need a deadline. Goals should have an endpoint to help you measure progress and keep you motivated as you work toward them. Suzy’s parents encouraged her to have long-term, mid-range and short-term goals as a way to help measure her progress and work toward her goals.
Short-term goals are those that you might want to accomplish this month. For example, if you are slated to present a talk to your 4-H club next month, make a short-term goal to decide on your topic and prepare your talk.
If you know you want to show pigs at the county and state fairs, 8 months away, work with your family now to determine your budget. Know the quantity of pigs you plan to purchase and what operations you want to deal with. Setting these goals now are mid-range goals.
As a freshman in high school, it is your goal to win a national FFA proficiency. You are working on building your flock of sheep and keeping record books. You market lambs to other young exhibitors and help them. Winning the FFA proficiency is a great example of a long-term goal.
What Happened to Suzy?
Well, Suzy is at the height of her career now. She continued showing cattle for a while and transitioned 100% to sheep due to a family move. She even was able to join a group of breeders and exported a few of her breeding ewes to South America.
Thanks to her parents for encouraging goal setting early in her livestock showing adventures, Suzy made goal setting part of her routine. She set SMART goals through college, which included being a member of a member of a national champion livestock judging team.
She still sets professional and personal goals for herself, every year on her birthday. She writes them down and checks back on them periodically to check her progress and motivate herself.
Let Sure Champ Help You Achieve your Goals
Once you have your goals set, you will need a supplement to help your animals stay healthy and performing to help you reach your goals. That’s how Sure Champ can help.
Remember, Sure Champ is a line of livestock show supplements that proactively work to assist with the challenges created by the show environment. Sure Champ uses only the highest quality components and proprietary ingredients proven to generate high-yielding results.
The majority of Sure Champ products are powered by AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research proven to enhance digestibility. Sure Champ products help keep your animal healthy and perform by enhancing the digestive system. We know that 70% of the immune response is found in the gut. Therefore, if your animal’s digestive system is healthy, the rest of it will also be healthy.
Here is a list of our products to help you with your livestock showing projects.
Products for Cattle
Sure Champ Cattle
Sure Champ Cattle is a pelleted, daily supplement with protein, vitamins and minerals for show livestock designed to support performance. It contains Amaferm, stimulates consistent appetite, and ensures that cattle receive adequate vitamins and minerals.
Sure Champ Cattle Drench
Sure Champ Cattle Drench is a drench for cattle designed to support digestive health before, during and after challenges. Formerly known as Vita Charge Cattle Drench, it contains enzymes that generate a more rapid digestive response. It also contains Amaferm and MOS (mannan oligosaccharides), which help normalize gut microflora and support the immune system.
Products for all Species
Sure Champ® Extreme with ClariFly®
Sure Champ Extreme with ClariFly is a pelleted, daily supplement for show livestock with ClariFly. It is designed to support hoof health, hair coat, and performance when temperatures are above 70 degrees. Designed for all species, it contains Amaferm and MOS to help normalize gut microflora and support the immune system. It also contains HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic. With added ClariFly, Sure Champ Extreme supports animals when heat and insects are a challenge.
Sure Champ® Liquid Boost®
Sure Champ Liquid Boost is a liquid for all livestock designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune systems. Formerly known as Vita Charge Liquid Boost, it contains both Amaferm and MOS. It also includes flavoring to help drive the intake of feed or water.
Sure Champ® Appetite Plus Gel
Sure Champ Appetite Plus Gel is a gel for all livestock designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune systems. Formerly known as Vita Charge Gel, it contains both Amaferm and MOS and works fast to support appetite and hydration.
Sure Champ® Climate Control Gel
Sure Champ Climate Control Gel is a gel for all livestock designed to support digestive health and recovery when temperatures are above 70 degrees. Formerly known as Vita Charge Climate Control, this gel contains Amaferm and HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils, to support animals when heat is a challenge. It promotes appetite and water intake.
Sure Champ® Clench Gel
Sure Champ Clench Gel is a gel for all livestock designed to support normal digestive function during occasional diarrhea/scours. Formerly known as Vita Charge Clench Gel, it includes Amaferm and MOS, and it contains electrolytes to support rehydration.
Sure Champ® Joint Juice
Sure Champ Joint Juice is a liquid product for livestock designed to support joint health utilizing patented technology. Joint Juice contains MHB3®, a patented high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid. It lubricates joints and supports mobility and soundness.
Set Goals, Work Hard, Feed Sure Champ
Set your SMART goals before you start your livestock showing project. Remember, goals take time, hard work and patience. It also helps to have a little assistance keeping your animals healthy and performing with products from Sure Champ.
You can get your Sure Champ products as easily as ordering online today.
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