05/12/2026
I'm going to share this because the other day I was having a conversation with some folks about parents and coaches modeling.
Our last year of AZ Nationals (1999) for our daughter saw some crazy stuff happen in the sheep barn.
#1 - after unloading and checking our sheep in we went to the hotel to check in. When we returned about an hour later we found a fence line feeder full of grain in our sheep pen. Thankfully our sheep didn't eat it, but we noticed about 20+ of these feeders in other pens, many web empty, and all the same red color. We reported it, but without any proof there was nothing the management could do. Result, most of the other lambs that had these feeders, the lambs got really sick, come show day they looked pathetic.
#2 - same year, in a class of big cross lambs one kid stood out, he showed the entire time down? Not uncommon but for the whole class? As the kid was showing at profile he stopped in front of us. It was clear from our vantage point what was going on. A safety pin was in the lambs flanke area and the kid was flicking it! The lamb would tense up when he did this. Again we, and a lot of others reported this, but again no proof, no action. (Cell phones weren't wide spread yet).
My point is, what are we telling kids when we purposely cheat to win? Anyone else ever see this kind of blatant cheating before?
PDCA just passed its toughest ethics overhaul in a decade — new rules on over-bagging, misrepresentation, real penalties for exhibitors. World Dairy Expo updated its Code of Ethics and Showring Policy. Exhibitors now face written violations, investigation processes, and suspension from future shows.
Judges at most shows outside Madison? No written conflict-of-interest code. No required disclosure of semen contracts or consulting relationships with exhibitors. No formal complaint process. When a Grand Champion banner can realistically move high six to low seven figures in lifetime genetics revenue — through semen premiums, IVF sessions, and sale-ring uplift — that's not an ethics conversation. It's a financial one.
Now run your own barn math. If you're hauling a serious string, you're likely in the $15,000–$30,000 range per year once you add up calves, feed, entries, fuel, hotels, fitting, and repairs. Over a five-year junior window, that's roughly $75,000–$150,000. What happens if you redirect even half of that into IVF on your top 1–2% cows or a robot fund?
Full breakdown — what a Grand Champion banner is actually worth in semen, embryo, and sale-ring dollars, plus a concrete accountability checklist your show committee could adopt this year: https://bit.ly/4soaPgt
Before you hook up the trailer this season — can you get your show's ethics code, complaint process, and judge conflict-of-interest policy in writing? If you ask twice and still get vague answers, what does that silence tell you?
