04/27/2026
This discussion focuses on futurity judging and raises an important question: do we have poor judges or poor scoring systems? Having served on both sides of the ring, I believe the issue comes down to the need for better judge education. Judges are hired to give their professional opinions, yet many experienced breeders refuse to judge because they don’t want the responsibility of explaining their decisions.
In the halter world, judges are often instructed to select cattle as if they were fat cattle, while in the futurity world they’re told to choose animals they would personally put in their pasture. These conflicting standards lead to inconsistent results, where cattle win at one show and then perform poorly at another. I’ve even seen situations where an animal placed low at one event but went on to become a high‑point animal at the next. This raises valid questions: Were the cattle actually the same? Were the classes comparable? Or were the judges from very different backgrounds—such as longtime breeders, new breeders, halter-focused judges, or younger producers?
This is not meant to criticize individual judges, but it may be time for judges to have their names attached to their scores—not for blame, but for accountability and education. Judges should be able to explain what they see and why they made their selections. Formal training seminars should be required for judges in order to be approved, and those same seminars should be made available to exhibitors so everyone understands the criteria being used.
Cattle should be chosen based on sound structure, production value, and correct information—not simply because they have extreme horn length or standout color. I admit I am guilty of complaining, judging, and offering opinions myself. In fact, I often warn people before sharing my thoughts, because I tend to be very detailed and honest. On multiple occasions, I have explained how I would evaluate cattle at a show, and the animals I predicted would be better suited for steers ended up winning their classes.
My reason for writing this comes from experience. I’ve been involved in the breed since the fall of 2010. During that time, we have raised futurity winners, halter champions, sale barn cattle, and even Bronze Trophy winners. That background gives me a broad perspective and a strong belief that it’s time for greater clarity, consistency, and education in how cattle are evaluated.
