1 Dress code: White shirt, tie and spotlessly clean white coat is the norm. Dress code is the easiest thing you have control of on the day.

2 Stick: It is critical to have a stick with you. It helps you to get your calf into the correct standing position. Use a stick that fits you. When the stick isn’t being used for positioning feet etc, always hold it down.

3 Halter: Don’t enter the ring with a blue rope used as the halter. Buy a nice cotton halter or, alternatively, borrow a leather halter from someone.

4 Walk forward: When entering and walking around the ring, walk forward with your animal. Don’t turn around, face your calf and walk backwards. The basic rule when showing a beef animal is to always walk forward (it’s different for a dairy animal).

5 Keep your eye on the judge: At all times, we recommend to stay alert and keep your eye on the judge. Even when the judge is talking to another child in the ring, it doesn’t mean that you can relax the halter and start talking to those next to you. The judge will periodically throw a quick eye around the ring to see who is alert and who has maintained the correct standing position of his/her calf.

6 Be in control: The key to control is having your calf well trained in the first instance. Make sure you are comfortable leading your animal and stay safe.

7 Give your animal space: Try to capture as much space as you can while inside the ring. By keeping your own space, it allows you to stand out from the crowd and be easily picked out by the judge.

8 Try to look natural: When the time comes for you to present your calf to the judge, walk forward, keep the calf’s head up and give a little slack on the halter.

9 Know your animal: The judge will then examine your animal and proceed to ask you questions.

10 Be courteous: Always be aware of the people around you. It’s wonderful to be ambitious and want to win. But it’s equally as important to show respect to your peers and be courteous. The virtue of true sportsmanship should be grasped at a young age

11 Don’t give up: Participation is key. It’s the only way to gain experience and above all grow in confidence.

Being prepared is critical. Practice at home as much as you can. Your calf needs to get used to you just as you need to get used to your calf.

At the show, enter the ring with a mentality of excellence – look your best, perform to your best and graciously accept the outcome. Remember, judges differ. You will have your day.

And don’t forget to smile. Enjoy yourself. It is quite endearing for a judge to see a competitor smile and actually enjoy being in the ring.