Photographing Cattle

On Tuesday morning last week I got up really early, 6:00 am, to head out to the barn and blow out some of the cattle for photos this morning. Last night I had been out there to wash all 8 heifers and bulls that are getting pictured today.

Here is my pretty girl, Chloe, who is headed to sale in Illinois I believe. 

Quite a few of the cattle's butts were dirty so we had to hand wash them with warm water and a brush. 

Can you find the curry comb in the bottom? There are a total of three brushes in the poop water.

For pictures we would set up our heifer as if in a show and the photographer would ask us to make adjustments. Then when the cattle were set up perfectly we would back up and hold their head's high so that we were out of the picture. The only thing allowed in the photo was the halter on their face that would eventually be photoshoped out. This was really hard to make them stand still and then we would have to quit when it started snowing. Because our cattle was black the snow did not help and we kept getting on and off flurries of snow.

Here is Cris making noise to get the heifer to point her ears forward and to look at him. Brad was the best cow! He really did sound like a cow and did a great job. Cris kept looking at the photographer to see how much more noise he had to make and make sure he did not spend any extra time making a fool of himself.

Test Day

Got to the barn early to brush out Moby really well, but I hardly had to brush him because he was so clean. His fur was so soft and smooth! Boston felt like a big teddy bear. Also, we got there early so that I could do Moby's hair. Morgan I think I know someone with more hair than you:) His hair is so thick!

Ready to head into the arena and do our test as we are all braided up and clean. 

Heather and Boston with Moby and I after our test 

Last night in my dorm room tonight! Tomorrow night I am headed home! Can't wait to sit on a couch in front of the television and for some homemade food!

Prep for the Final

Yesterday afternoon went out to the barn in the 18 degree weather to wash Moby and Boston with Heather. Moby was so dirty, he had not been washed in over 2 months!

To keep him from freezing I put a cooler blanket on him and then put him back in his stall just in time for his dinner. 

The sky looked so pretty as we left with all the snow blowing around and the sun getting ready to set.

Went back to Heather's house to clean our blankets. Mine was in desperate need of getting cleaned. We used curry brushes to get most of the hair out and then vacuumed them. I had enough hair to put on a cat! 

Decorating

We were supposed to be cleaning our room and doing homework when we found something better to do...

Yup, we started decorating for Christmas or I guess you could just say winter.

Spontaneous Saturday

Pretty much sums it up...

Morgan was feeling a little spontaneous yesterday and wanted to get her cartilage pierced. So we went to Main Street Ink to get her ear pierced. 

I was the designated person to come back to the room and watch.  

I think I will pass on getting my ears pierced for now.  

Practically our whole floor came with Morgan and I to get her ear pierced and then we all went to the mall to wander around and shop. We were in JcPenney's looking at rings and Jade proposed to Alisa. Alisa never got the chance to respond, because Jade was laughing so hard, she couldn't keep a straight face. 

A Hot Corn Dog on a Cold Day

Started snowing Saturday morning on our way to the dining hall from the fitness center.

Emily and I 

In the Dining hall I got a corn dog for lunch. It was really hot and I didn't have any silverware to poke holes in it to help cool the corn dog off, so I used my straw.  

The corn dog was just a little hot...it melted my straw!! 

Came out and it had stopped snowing, but this is what remained. 

Show Afternoon

After working with the cattle all day we were released to wander around for an hour before we had to wash the cattle again and start packing up.

We, Karla, Cassie, Kari, Ryan, Candace, and few others went to the big arena.

They had a barnyard petting zoo area, except you could not touch the ducklings. They were so cute! 

Hey Mom can you get this for me for Christmas? :) Just kidding

I really liked this one...$5,000 

Really wanted to try out the lassos  

Showing

Karla and her bull, she was the only one in her class so she had to go in to compete for the reserve champion.

Ryan getting ready to go in 

Next class was Cassie and her little bull. 

If anything touches a cow it is instantly 911 for a brush and a groom. We have to brush the hair upwards so that the cows look more filled out and fluffier. I thought it was kind of funny. If something touches your cow then you better have a brush and fix it very quickly. 

Nothing like boys in jeans and cowboy boots with sweats over them and having them sag. 

Cassie got second with what she thought was a terrible show

Had to go in to the ring for the very last class which was three cows that were sired by the same bull.