THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK PART VI. 403 



him a truer estimate of his own cattle. A prominent breeder has been 

 quoted in answer to the question: "How is it, my friend, you have good 

 cattle and make good sales, but are not a sensational winner in the 

 show ring?" "Well, I will tell you. As I see my cattle at home I think 

 the world cannot beat them, but when I come into the show ring I find I 

 have forgotten to consider what the other fellow has been doing." And 

 how true this is! So many breeders who see only their own cattle imag- 

 ine they have the best on earth, but when they are measured beside the 

 really good ones they are found to be quite common and are scarcely 

 noticed. The common thing for this class of exhibitors to do is to 

 accuse the successful one of trickery and to express a doubt as to the 

 integrity and ability of the judge. The wise man will at once say to 

 himself: "I must raise the standard of my cattle. I must breed and 

 show as good cattle as any other man in my line or stay at home.'' He 

 has now learned the kind and type of cattle and the condition necessary 

 to win, and he goes to work, not in a half-hearted way, but in earnest, 

 and it is this class of men that make a success. 



Passing from the owner to his cattle more directly we find that trav- 

 eling salesmen carry samples of goods they have for sale for the buyer's 

 inspection. The great fairs of our country offer the fine stock breeder 

 the best opportunity to show his samples to the public. In my experi- 

 ence among inquiries from prospective buyers they often add: "I saw 

 your herd at a certain fair." It may have been several years before, but 

 if they were favorably impressed with the cattle it seems to stick in 

 their minds. 



To the question: "Does it pay to show cattle?" my answer briefly 

 is: If you have cattle good enough to win it does both directly in prize 

 money and indirectly in advertising. There are many exhibitors who 

 have made lots of money and the prize money alone has made showing 

 very profitable, but the advantages gained indirectly in the way of adver- 

 tising can scarcely be estimated. And even if the exhibitor does not get 

 near enough to the front for the greatest cash awards or sufficient to 

 pay all his expenses, still he may find his money and efforts well spent 

 if he has a good class of cattle and there are many such that are outside 

 the money at the greater fairs. The friendly rivalry of the show yard 

 is a great incentive for a breeder to put forth his best efforts. It widens 

 his acquaintance among his fellow breeders and is a good medium to 

 bring his cattle into public notice. 



Marion Parr: As to whether it will pay to go into the show business 

 depends on several things. If your correspondent has on hand a good 

 supply of stock for sale; if he has a herd that can go out and be ranked 

 among the best of his breed; if he is a pleasant and agreeable man to 

 meet who knows how to tell the good qualities of his herd and breed 

 without disgusting those who hear him; if his breed needs advertising 

 and last and most important if he does not have to neglect more import- 

 ant business it will probably pay him to go out with a show herd. 



