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ShowingAnimals
Agriculturenotonlygivesrichestoanation,buttheonlyrichesshecancallherownSamuel Johnson's.Showdayscomearound,andtheycomefast.Theyouththatareshowinghavetoprepare themselvesforthatbigshowday.Manythatdontshowanimalstheydontunderstandwhatcomes withshowingandpreparingthemselvesforthatbigday.Whenyouthtodayaregettingready,andor justlearningwhatcomeswithananimal,theyarelearningmanydifferentskillsfromselectingand developingtomanagingbooks.Showinganimalscomewithdifferentresponsibilities,andlearning experience. Showday1,andthisistheirfirstshow.Itcanbeverynervewrecking,butiftheyhaveworked hardandfairwiththeiranimal.Whenpickingoutananimaltheyouthlearnhowtoselectwhatthey thinkwouldbeagoodanimaltoworkwithandshow.Itskindoflikepickingoutanewjobortryingto findanewjob.OvertimetheyouththatkeepshowingthroughouttheirmiddleschoolandHighschool careerthestudentlearnsabouttherequirementsofagoodshowanimal.Whenselectingananimalmost judgeslookattheconfirmation,andbalanceofananimal.AFFAor4Hmembershouldlookforthat inananimaltobeabletodogoodintheirshowingcareer.Youthandanimalsarenotbornwith patients.Itcanbeveryfrustratingwhenananimaldoesntunderstandourlanguage,andwhenthe studentdoesntunderstandwhattheanimalistryingtosaywhenitsactingup.Whenitcomeswith showinganimalsthatyouthneedspatientsnotonlywhenworkingwiththeanimal,butalsowhenthey areintheshowring.Thereisnothingbetterthanrewardingthanaccomplishingagoalandhavingan animalrespondtowhatyouaretryingtoteachit.Disciplinealsocomeswithshowing,andbeinginthe showring.Theyouthfollowanetiquetteinthering,justlikebeinginaninterview.Whenintheringall FFAand4Hmemberspracticebeingprofessional.Whenthejudgeisaskingquestionstheylookatthe

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judgewhentheyarespeakingtowardsyou.Afterallthequestions,thatyouthwillshakehandswith them,andthankthemfortheirtime.Qualitieslikethesehelpmakinginterviewsgosmoothly,and professional.Whentheyoutharepolite,andtheyhaveworkedhardbeforethering,theywillbe professionalwhenenteringthering.AllthesequalitieshelpthatFFAmemberbecomeresponsiblewhen itstimetogointotherealworld.Showingishelppreparetodaysstudentstogetajob,andtobe politetotheoutsidepopulation.(FFAandtheBenefitsofShowingAnimals1a).Oneimportantkeyto successisselfconfidence.AnimportantkeytoselfconfidenceispreparationArthurAshe.FFA membersarealwaysgoingbythisquote,becauseitshowsthemthatshowingcomeswithbeing prepared,andthattheyneedselfconfidence. 4Hisafamilyaffair,andsoisFFAshowingmakesafamilybondtogether,andlearntowork together.Parentssetgoalsfortheirchildrentolearnhowtosave,andearnmoney.Thesekindof projectsareteachingtheyouthbasicskillsinlife,butalsothechildrenarenotpayingforbandorsports, ect.Iftheparentsgoalisforthechildrentomakemoney,investinsavingsaccountislessriskythan investingina4HorFFAproject.Iftheparentswantstheirchildrentodevelopasaperson,learnto becomemoreresponsible,setgoals,andgainknowledgeaboutlivestockproductionthenFFAand4H areagoodwaytobecomeinvolvedandlearntogrowasaperson.(ShowingLivestockBenefitsYouth 4a)Feeding,anddoingdailychoreswiththeirlivestockprojectshelpsteachthemthatresponsibility. Topfeedersfollowatimeclock,andtheyallfeedatthesametimeeveryday.Thishelpsthatyouthto becomemoreresponsible,andhelpsthemwithtimemanagement.Gettingalong,communicatingwith others,sportsmanship,andresponsibilityisallintodaysyouththatareapartof4HandFFA.Theyare learningtobecomethebesttheycanbe.Eitherwaythesetypeofprojectsaresupposedtobeafamily affair.Ifthereisenoughtimespenttogetherandenergybytheyouthandparentsitcanhelptheyouth

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learntheirbasicskillsinlife. Livestockshowingsteachestheyouthtobecalm,andtobeprepared.Sincelivestock showingseasonhascometoendmany4HandFFAmemberstakethistimetoevaluatetheirfuture. Youthstarttolookintotheircareerpath.AgoodquestionthatisaskeddailyisArethelessonsyou arelearningintheshowringpreparingyouforacareerinagriculture?WithoutevenknowingitFFA and4Hmemberswhoareshowinglivestockareactuallydevelopingcharactertraitsthattheywillhave throughouttheirlives.Someofthosecharactertraitsarediscipline,patients,goalsetting,makingfriends, teamwork,projectplanning,math,andgoodworkethic.Todaymanyemployersarelookingforthatin theiremployes.Whenitcomestojobseekinginthefutureanimalloversareonlylimitedbytheir imaginationswhentheyaredecidingaboutwork.Someideaswouldbefoodscientist,ag communications,meatinspectors,livestockbuyer,andagteacher.Theyouthcanbeanythingand everything,buttheyhavetoanimagination.Therearemanydifferentjobsouttherethatinvolveag. (ShowinglivestockearnsBlueRibbonsandpreparesparticipants3a) Duringshowingtheyouthrealizethattheanimaldependsonthemtosupplyallthenutritionand healthcare,andtheyarebeingresponsibleforthewellbeingandproductivityoftheirlivestock.During showseasonyouthalsolookforwardtofairnotonlyjusttoshow,buttogointothemidwaytoride rides,andtohangoutwithfriends,buttherearealsopeoplethatareopposedtoanimalagriculturethat arewaitingforsomethingtoexploit.Noteveryoneisforyouthshowinganimals.Somepeoplethinkthat itismean,andnotfairtotheanimals.FFAmembersshouldalwaysmakesurethattheiranimalisready toshow.Thereasonforthisisbecausethattheyneedtoshowthosepeoplethatdontbelievein showing,thatshowingisagoodthing,anditkeepstheyouthbusy.Theyshouldbewellpreparedand shouldshowthebesttheycanshow.Havingananimalgetlooseintheshowringcanbetheworstthing

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tohappenduringashow.Itwillalsomakethosepeoplewhoalreadydislikeshowingdislikeiteven more.(YouthlivestockExhibitorsasAmbassadorsforanimalagriculture5a) Saysomeethicsisjustknowinganddoingtherightthing.FFAmembersshouldknowthe differencebetweentherightandwrongthingiseasy,butmakingsureithappensisharder.Tryingtobe responsibleanddoingthecorrectthingcantaketimeandwilltakepracticetryingtoachievethat. Buildingcharactertraitslikecaring,fairness,andrespectcanhelpdoingtherightthingeasier.All responsibleyouthwillcarefortheiranimalliketheyaresupposedtoo.Afairyouthwillfollow ownershipandregistrationdeadlines,knowandfollowshowrules,andbeconsideratetootheryouth. (EthicsinYouthLivestockPrograms1a) YouthtodayarelearningmanydifferentlifeskillwhentheyareeitherinFFA,and4H.They arelearningdifferenttraitsthattheycanusewhentheyareolder,andintheirprofessionslateroninlife. Showingleadstomanydifferentresponsibilities,andhelpsteachthemlifeskills.Selectingand developingalsoleadsintothattoo.

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WorkCited
1."EthicsInYouthLivestockPrograms."2010.25Nov.2013
2."FFAandtheBenefitsofShowingAnimals|Suite101."2013.22Nov.2013 3.ShowingLivestockEarnsBlueRibbonsandPreparesParticipants..."2013.22Nov.2013 4."ShowingLivestockBenefitsYouthUNLTheUniversityof..."2010.22Nov.2013 5."YouthLivestockExhibitorsasAmbassadorsforAnimalAgriculture."2011.25Nov.2013