|
All Roads Lead To the Classic
Cattlemen from all across the Midwest should mark their calendars for the 17th Annual Classic, Feb. 19-24. The Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic has put together a great week for cattlemen, both young and old.
The annual show and sale is becoming a tradition for cattlemen all across the Midwest. It’s a weeklong event featuring a Ranch Horse Competition and Sale, Working Dog Trials and Sale, 14 breeds of cattle shows and sales, Replacement Heifer Pen of 5 Sale, live cattle displays, a commercial trade show and a Junior Show.
The Classic has added a new event, teaming up with UNL Judging Team coach Matt Ellicott to host the 1st Annual Classic Judging Contest, Feb. 23. Featuring eight beef classes, the contest is open to collegiate teams, 4-H and FFA youth. Find complete details and a contest entry form at www.necattlemen.org.
The Classic has already established a new record with 52 horses pre-entered in the Classic Ranch Horse Sale. Thirty-five select horses will be featured on Feb. 19, and the Classic Ranch Competition will begin at 2 p.m. with the sale that evening. Horses will be competing for the Supreme Horse title and a $1,000 cash award sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health.
The Working Dog Trials and Sale are also scheduled for Feb. 19 and will feature 10 working dogs, including Border Collies, Australian Shepherds and Kelpies. They will be ready to go home and work on the ranch.
Cattle shows and sales will start Feb. 20 with Hereford, Polled Hereford and Red Angus. Cattlemen from all across the Midwest are bringing bulls and heifers to compete for the Supreme Champion Bull and Heifer titles. The line-up continues on Feb. 21 with Angus, Simmental, Charolais and Braunvieh shows and sales. The Royal Ice Sale will be that evening, featuring a tremendous offering of embryos, pregnancies, flushes and semen – truly an elite offering of genetics.
Cattle shows and sales continue on Feb. 22 with Limousin, Gelbvieh-Balancer and Shorthorns. Friday evening will feature an awesome offering of bred and open heifers in the Pen of 5 Heifer Sale. Commercial cattlemen, purebred cattlemen and club calf producers will want to evaluate this section of the Classic catalog. We have put together what may be the most powerful pens of heifers to be sold in Kearney.
The Classic will conclude breed shows and sales on Feb. 23 with Maine Anjou, MaineTainers, Chimaines and Chiangus. All breeds featured at the Classic have a tremendous offering of yearling and coming two-year-old bulls, and bred and open heifers. All bulls and heifers will be competing for the 2008 Supreme Title on Saturday evening at 7 p.m.
Saturday will also include several activities for our youth with the new Classic Judging Contest, the Classic Junior Show and Stierwalt’s Fitting Demonstration. The Classic is truly an event for cattlemen young and old.
The Classic also features live cattle displays and over 100 commercial exhibits.
The Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic is excited about the 2008 event, and organizers are already working on ideas and changes for 2009. The beef industry has changed over the last five years and continues to change daily. The Classic is looking to add new benefits for both sellers and buyers, and to offer more opportunities for youth.
More information and a complete Classic catalog are on the Web at www.necattlemen.org. Y
Pictures:
NCC-IMG_0526.jpg
Caption: A stellar line-up of Charolais females compete in last year’s Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic.
NCC-IMG_0554.jpg
Caption: NC President-Elect Todd Schroeder congratulates Don and Connie Hansen of Riverlane Simmental as the Simmental Premier Exhibitor at the 2007 Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic.
|