The NWSF Master Showman Competition will be held at the Custer Coliseum on Thursday, July 11, at 1:00pm. The NWSF Master Showman will earn a one-of-a-kind belt buckle.
What is the NWSF Master Showman Competition?
For our inaugural year, four youth livestock exhibitors, one member representing each species, Beef, Swine, Sheep, and Dairy will have the chance to compete against one another for the highest honor of animal exhibition. Each of the Senior Showmanship Champions will show one animal from each species. The title of Master Showman is awarded to the youth who is well-rounded and knowledgeable in all four livestock species. Four divisions will be held throughout the show. There is one division for each species. The order for the show will be determined by the NWSF Master Showman Competition prior to the beginning of the show. Once the competition begins the participants will not be allowed to leave the show ring until the competition is completed. The competition will consist of 10 to 12 minutes of showmanship for each species. Representatives of the NWSF Master Showmanship competition will select the animals to be exhibited and participants will be assigned an animal by random draw. Animals will be presented before and removed after the competition by a representative of the NWSF Master Showman competition and its volunteers.
Who can participate in NWSF Master Showman Competition?
Master Showman consists of the Senior Showmanship Champion from each livestock species: Beef, Swine, Sheep, and Dairy. The youth that has won Senior Showmanship Champion will need to indicate their desire to compete in the Master Showman Competition upon the completion of that species’ show. If the same youth wins Senior Showmanship Champion in an additional species competition, then the Reserve Senior Showman will be asked to represent that species in the Master Showman Competition. If any of the Senior Showmanship Champion’s decides they do not want to participate then the Reserve Senior Champion will be allowed to participate in their place.
If awarded the top honor of NWSF’s Master Showman, the exhibitor is no longer eligible to compete in the Master Showman competition in future years.
Why is the NWSF Master Showman competition being held?
Master Showman is an opportunity for youth to take their skills to the next level. It is a fun show for youth from each species to compete against one another and showcase their skills. Overall, the Master Showman competition is held as a learning experience. Not only will each exhibitor learn about the species they earned recognition within, but they will also learn from their peers. Master Showman allows exhibitors to learn more about other animal species. The goal of the Master Showman competition is to motivate exhibitors to learn more about all four livestock species, dedicating time and hard work to
livestock learning.
Showman Responsibilities
Each Master Showman exhibitor will show an animal from each species from a group of animals chosen by the NWSF Master Showman Competition. No fitting of animals will be required. Participants will wear a clean show outfit of their choice with closed-toed shoes for the competition. Exhibitors will not need to obtain individual information on each animal (birthdate/food ration). They will be judged based on showmanship skills and knowledge for each species. General questions for the species-at-large may be utilized at the discretion of the species judge. The Custer Coliseum will be available for practice after all the shows are completed each day. It is the participant’s responsibility to be aware of any posted information.
How will the NWSF Master Showman be determined?
The competition will be judged by a qualified representative with exhibiting experience in each species noted. Scoring will be as follows: 1st place = 1pt, 2nd place = 2pts, etc. The person with the lowest point tally will be named the winner. If after the completion of all species, there is a tie score, the tiebreaker will be determined by the competition judges. No scores will be given out to participants; they may talk individually with the judges after the show to learn what they could improve upon.
No verbal coaching is permitted during the NWSF Master Showmanship Competition, and the participant will be disqualified if caught doing so. Rules are subject to change.
If you have any questions, please contact NWSF Junior & Open Fair Manager, Cindy Boggess (cboggess@nwsfa.com / 715.723.2861 ext. 105) or Steve Maier, NWSF Master Showman Lead.