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| The Overnight bag |
Every summer, Dad and an assortment of his children would head out on the 'Cattle Show' circuit.
We hit every major fairground in
Alberta.
It was . . . fun.
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| On the Road |
We would truck the chosen animals to
the fairgrounds.
Secure our spot in the barns.
Prepare the site. (Fluffing up straw
figured largely here.)
Lead in the animals and tie them.
Then set up our tack box and assorted
matching equipment and chairs, tables, etc.
Trying to make the entire area as tidy
and un-barn-like as possible.
We were ready.
For the next two days, we hauled feed
in little rubber tubs.
Buckets of water.
Hay.
And hauled out anything remotely smelly
or dirty.
We would wash and brush and blow dry
and trim.
Periodically, we would untie one of the
animals, lead him or her into a ring and parade around.
Then stand them up and keep them in one
place while the judge walked around them.
Poking and prodding.
Frowning seriously.
Before he moved on to the next animal.
Then we paraded around again while he
watched.
And we watched him.
Everyone praying that our animal would
be the one he slapped.
In a cattle show, slapping is good.
It allowed us to participate in the
Parade of Champions.
This was our summer.
Cattle show to cattle show.
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| The reward. |
Feeding, cleaning and trading news with
the exhibitors all around us.
Showing cattle.
Taking occasional side trips to the
fairway for foot-long hot dogs and corn-on-the-cob.
With the kids who were also exhibiting
with their dads.
Life was perfect.
