Yesterday I gave a teaser about my trip to Denver for the National Western Stock Show. Each January the NWSS is held in Denver, CO for approximately 16 days. Cattlemen from throughout the country and Canada come to exhibit cattle on The Hill and in The Yards. The NWSS is home to the only pen and carload show, which takes place in The Yards. Also in The yards you’ll find bulls on display and cattle industry related companies, set up as an outside tradeshow. The Hill consists of your show bulls and heifers in the open & junior shows. (PS-above the cattle stalls you’ll also find excellent shopping ;) This big facility overlooks the Rocky Mountains, gorgeous scenery!
My family has been fortunate to have cattle purchased from Michigan State University, MSU have then been nice to bring the heifers via truck and trailer to the show (it’s a long haul from Michigan!). The MSU Purebred Beef Barn brought ten head to Denver to be exhibited on The Hill. The guys loaded up the livestock and their feed in two trailers and set out for the trip on January 3rd, they didn’t get home till early yesterday morning! Long trip and if you’re a lady reading this you’re probably thinking about all the clothes that needed to be packed! Don’t worry… when I used to go with MSU I usually took the prize for having the most luggage, just because we’re farm girls doesn’t mean we can’t look good!
Due my big girl job I didn’t fly out to the stock show till last Wednesday but am fortunate to have spent 5 days in the Rocky Mountains to look over all the display bulls and bull & heifer pens in The Yards and the show cattle on The Hill.
My family was very happy with how everything went in the ring. The MSU heifer calf that was a Division Champion at the NAILE ended up winner her class. We were very pleased and are looking forward to seeing her grow. My sister, Danielle, will be showing her and Miley’s calf this upcoming summer.
 |
| This is our NWSS class winner, Rachel. We didn't get a picture of her in Denver, this is from NAILE. |
One NWSS tradition is to go out to eat at Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian Steakhouse where servers come around with different platters of meat. Guests are given a card (one side green, the other red), green means serves me, red means I’m full! While I’m always way too full after the delicious salad bar and meat I still manage to have room for the Brazilian cheesecake…. I mean honestly what’s a few more hundred calories?! If you’re gonna go, might as well go all out!
Besides watching the cattle show it was great to catch up with old friends. Even though we don’t see each other as often as we’d like it’s still nice knowing we’re all just a plane ride or phone call away! I really think it’s the friends I’ve made over the many years of showing that has kept me interested in the cattle business. I’ve met and become close with amazing people, and wouldn’t trade that for any other lifestyle!
N.Starr
No comments:
Post a Comment