Handling Unruly Animals

“In the case that problems like this arise, a judge may elect to momentarily stop judging until the problem is resolved. Try to avoid penalizing kids for things that are out of their control. A judge can also help anticipate problems or “wrecks” before they occur. For example, if you’re judging a late evening show, cattle may be overly excited if they think they are about to be taken to tie outs. Similarly, cattle may be harder to show during their regular feeding times. Cold mornings may cause some cattle to feel frisky. A first-time exhibitor who leads off the class may need extra instruction on where to walk and stop her animal in position. Judges and ring stewards can try to help stop problems before they occur.” - Ken Geuns