The show is a serious business and these young judging competitors are at full attention as they compete in today’s National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. I’ll post information about the results and where to find them later today after I check back in with the media office.
Also taking place today is the National Intercollegiate & International Post-Secondary cotests.
Let’s go back to the ring for a moment and you can see how the Expo Theme is being used. As a backdrop to the activity in the ring are these very large and beautiful works of art, reflecting “The Art of Dairy.”
Above the show ring is the area where the announcers and other technicians work. Here’s World Dairy Expo, General Manager, Tom McKittrick, (on the right) supervising the activities.
Here’s a top level view of the show ring. It’s full with young people, their animals and the judging contests. I’ve got some more pictures coming shortly.
The very first thing I noticed as I walked in was the smell of fresh wood chips. As you can see, the floor of the ring is blue. Those are colored chips which I think makes for a unique platform to show the cattle.
Ruth Stampfl is in charge of the administrative office and she knows what’s going on. Here’s Ruth on the radio as calls come in right and left. It may be a busy and sort of stressful time but Ruth was relaxed and got me situated right away. The World Dairy Expo staff just couldn’t be more helpful.
Once you get inside the Coliseum you’ll find the administrative offices. I heades there right away. Inside this busy area is where the Dairy Cattle Office is located. With the youth shows going on and all the livestock exhibitors still getting situated most of the traffic seemed like it was heading to this location.
Besides all the inside activity there’s a lot going on outside to add to the festive air that you’ll find when you attend Expo. These folks from ABS are “pumping it up.”
Here’s where most of the “action” takes place. This is also the building in which I’m set up in a little office they call the “fishbowl.” This place is very active today since there are shows going on already.
After I get these first pictures posted I’m going to wander around and get some pictures of the livestock. Right across from the Exhibition Hall is the Arena and office where cattle need to be checked in. It looks like many or most are already here. Lots of animals being walked around. It’ll be interesting to see if the weather change this week, from hot/humid to cold has any impact on their performances.
As I passed by the Arena there were a number of trucks driving in and out of the little alleyway between it and the livestock buildings. There are a lot of golf carts here. So far I haven’t been able to talk anyone into letting me use one.
As you can see here in front of the Exhibition Hall, there’s not a lot of activity yet. Just some outside exhibitors setting up. There’s lots of space left to fill and the inside already seems very full. I stopped here first to check in at the media room before heading over to the Coliseum where my office is.
