Here's a chance to test your ability to pick a prize-winning steer or heifer and see how your processing crew rates against others in a competition. Your cowboys can see how they rate in a cutting horse competition, feedlot team roping, barrel racing and sponsors roping-also some fun times and a chance at the big money and the grand prize.

Beef Empire Days in Garden City, Kansas, is a premier event of its kind on the High Plains. Over the years it has grown to encompass 10 days of educational and people-pleasing events and activities. There is something for everyone to enjoy -- a PRCA Rodeo, Live Cattle Judging Show, Carcass Show and Carcass Evaluation Contest. There are many other events, like the Cattle Working Contest, Cattle Feeders Symposium, Cutting Horse Competition, as well as Roto-Mix Cattlemen's Barbecue and the Awards dinner presented by Certified Angus Beef and Pfizer Animal Health, to name a few.

The cattle judging starts with the arrival of the cattle at 6:00-6:30 a.m. on June 13, 2002, with the live show taking place at 10:30 a.m. The cattle are run through the chute, weighed and their ear tags checked for identification. Then into the show area where the judging will be done by Dr. Mark Johnson of Oklahoma State University. The cattle are sorted by the judge into four groups, or turned out and not qualified.

The grandstand judging takes place, and the official judge awards the best of the Live Show. The cattle are then loaded and transported to the IBP plant in Holcomb, KS, where they are slaughtered.

The Carcass Show and Carcass Evaluation Contest takes place at IBP, Inc. in the cooler. The carcasses are graded and judged for best of carcass by the judge. The carcass judge is Dr. Jason Apple, Associate Professor from the University of Arkansas. Both Dr. Johnson and Dr. Apple received their doctorate degrees from Kansas State University.

On the following Saturday, at the Awards dinner, awards are presented for the best of the Live Show and the Carcass Show. The Earl Brookover Memorial Award is presented to the owner of the best overall animal in both shows.

This show offers you, as a member of the beef industry, an opportunity to gain valuable information on individual cattle. Chances to improve your ability to correlate live characteristics with desirable carcass traits and help you continue to provide a desirable product for the consuming public. You are encouraged to participate by entering cattle that meet the standards of the beef industry.

Everyone viewing the Live Show will want to test his or her own judging skills by participating in the Grandstand Judging. Categories of competition range from youth to the expert

The Annual Beef Empire Days Live and Carcass Show is intended to emphasize the economic aspects of the commercial cattle feeding and the beef industry. Cattle placing in the Live and Carcass Shows are selected to meet the needs of the entire beef industry from the producer to the consumer. Stringent carcass guidelines enable the judges to select the kind of cattle being demanded in the market place. All cattle entered will be allowed to compete, but those closely meeting the standards of the industry will have the advantage.

Ideal carcass weights will range from 700-750 lbs. for steers and 650-700 lbs. for heifers. Rib-eye area for this weight steer carcass should be in the 13-16 square inch range with the heifer carcass having a 12-15 square inch rib-eye. Ideal back fat thickness on both steer and heifer carcasses will range from 0.28 to 0.31 inches. Cattle grading high select or better will be allowed to place in the carcass show and average choice or better cattle will be awarded a bonus.

The processing procedures used in the Cattle Working Contest follow guidelines specified by the sponsoring manufacturers. This is not a contest to see how fast cattle can be worked. The emphasis is on education and training for feedlot employees and processing crews.

Contest Objectives include:

• to promote the correct usage of animal health products and equipment;
• to promote the correct handling of livestock;
• to provide quality assurance education; and
• to provide an opportunity for processing crews to interact and learn from suppliers and each other.

For general information and entry information, contact the Beef Empire Days office: PO Box 1197,Garden City, Kansas 67846-1197, or call 620-275-6807, Fax-620-275-7481 ©