(Indianapolis, IN) - The first pitch is about to be thrown in what could be viewed as the World Series for showing beef cattle in Indiana. The 36th annual Hoosier Beef Congress is scheduled December 2-4 at the Indiana State fairgrounds in Indianapolis.
More than 860 people have registered to show a wide variety of male and female breeds in the contest restricted to participants ages 8 to 21, said Joe Moore, Executive Vice-President of the Indiana Beef Cattle Association. The IBCA is hosting what’s billed as the largest, single state junior cattle show in the U.S.
“It’s an action packed weekend,” said Moore.
Moore said the show inside the Expo Center at the fairgrounds is limited to IBCA members and their calves mostly born in the spring. About 1,200 head of young cattle ranging from Red Angus, Shorthorn to Miniature Herford and crossbreeds are kept in stalls inside the saddle horse barn and west pavilion reserved for the contest.
There will also be a heifer and market animal sale for those physically present and or online bidders at the contest along with a trade show featuring about 50 vendors offering things like feed and equipment. Western-type clothing and hats will be among the other items available to purchase.
“A lot of it is handmade. People do a lot of early Christmas shopping through our trade show at the Hoosier Beef Congress,” he said.
Moore said bidders at the show are typically breeders looking to enhance their herds through genetics. Other bidders are looking for a calf to show during the contest before taking them home for training to compete again in other events.
Moore said the show has been popular from the very beginning in a state where a majority of cattle is raised for breeding purposes or sent to Texas and other major beef producing states like Nebraska for finishing. Indiana ranks 36th in the nation for cattle production, according to USDA.
Moore said cash and other prizes are given to the winners, who often start appearing on the radar screens of breeders from showing an award winning calf.
“People pay big money for eggs out of these heifers that do well,” he said.
He said the event is also a chance for juniors in the show to further their skills, build reputation and gain notoriety. Some of the winners are later featured in national magazines.
“There’s a lot of publicity that goes along with it,” he said.
There is no admission fee for the 4,000 or more people expected to attend the three day event. Participants are charged a $125 entry fee per animal or $200 for each late entry. Moore said the event generates a profit but is not really a fund raiser for the IBCA considering the relatively low profit margin once expenses are paid.
“It’s an expensive event for us to put on. We just try to defray the cost for us and offer this to the kids,” he said.
The Indiana Beef Cattle Association provides a voice for the concerns of Hoosier beef producers at the state and federal levels of government. IBCA is also active in promoting the beef industry in other ways like serving 30,000 ribeye steaks from a tent at the Indiana State Fair with help from volunteer producers.
The Indianapolis based group also hosts various field days throughout the year to help educate beef producers about the latest developers in areas like technology and an annual convention for members.
“IBCA can do things that a single individual cannot. Whether it be promoting beef or representing producers on legislative issues, IBCA works to offer a voice for individual consumers while safeguarding the beef supply,” said Bruce Lamb, a beef producer from Milford and past president of the organization.
