Sunday, August 16, 1998

Showmaster Showdown resumes today with steers and goats at Expo Center

By J.T. SMITH

Farm Editor

If Tasa Watts' steer isn't the coolest steer around, it's certainly the cleanest.

During this treacherous Summer of '98 heat, Tasa has pampered her 975-pound "Amigo" every day with a daily cool bath.

"I feed him, water him, bathe him and rinse him off," Tasa said of her Simbrah steer. "The weather has been so hot, we do that every afternoon to keep him cooled down. He really likes that."

Tasa and her Amigo are a few of the multitudes of youngters and their steers in Abilene for the ongoing two-day ACCO Showmaster Showdown. Youths arrived from throughout Texas for the lamb judging Saturday afternoon and progress steer show Saturday night.

The big prospect steer competition is 9 a.m. today in the Dorothea C. Griffin Arena at the Taylor County Expo Center, while a large showing of meat goats begins at 11 a.m. today in the adjacent Lamb Arena.

All of today's competition is free to the public. Concessions are available.

Watts, 15, is a Trent sophomore and 4-H'er who comes from family of steer exhibitors. Her sister, Charle, 10, a fifth-grader at Trent, also will show a steer in Sunday's competition. Charle, who also is a 4-H'er, will exhibit a Maine-Anjou Chianina called "Tuffy."

Showing steers in the family is tradition.

The sisters' older brother, Cory, graduated from high school this year and left the steer showing to his little sisters. But during his many years raising steers, Cory produced a first place steer in San Antonio and another first place animal at the Houston Livestock Show, the world's largest.

Nowadays, Cory rides bulls. He makes at least one rodeo per week -- and while Tasa likes to watch him ride -- it also makes her a bit nervous.

"One time when he was riding a bull, it broke his leg," Tasa recalls. "So watching him ride kinda of scares me sometimes too."

As for herself, Tasa will stick to showing steers and her many sports activities at Trent High.

In addition to raising steers, she likes to test her own knowledge in livestock judging in 4-H competition.

At school, Tasa plays basketball as a Trent Lady Gorilla, loves golf and is a Trent cheerleader.

Tasa has worked to improve her golf game. She did well as only a freshman last year when she was first in district in golf and went on to regionals.

"It was my first year to play golf in high school, so it was really fun just to go that far," Tasa said.

Stays plenty busy

As if Amigo weren't a handful -- with all his pampering -- Tasa has another Limousin steer she calls "Ace."

But she left Ace at home this time. But while he will sit out the Showmaster Showdown, she will show Ace and/or Amigo at several upcoming shows including the West Texas Fair in Abilene during September and the San Antonio Livestock Exposition and Houston Livestock Show this winter, and perhaps, the Fort Worth Stock Show.

"I've been showing cattle since I was in the third grade," the polite 4-H'er notes. "So I've gone to lots of shows."

Tasa says that in addition to regular good feed and regular baths, exercise is extremely important to raising a well-muscled steer.

"I walk Amigo a lot to give him his exercise," Tasa said.

If Tasa needs some pointers, her dad, Danny Watts, is a good man to ask. Watts is manager at Cal-Tex Feedyards at Trent. Tasa's mom, Tanja, is a homemaker who also substitutes at the school, as needed, and does lots of volunteer work, in addition to help with the 4-H projects.

It's all a family affair.

Tasa's favorite subject is math, and she hopes to become a kindergarten teacher.

"I like working with little children," Tasa allows. "It's fun to me."

Meanwhile, Saturday's lamb show was an overwhemling success.

The ACCO Showmaster Showdown Lamb Show had more than 200 entries from across Texas from Brenham in East Texas to New Home up on the High Plains.

"We hope to make it bigger next year," said John Helmer, lamb show superintendent, of Tye.

"We hope to get a good scholarship fund started," said Taylor County Ag Agent Gary Bomar.

"All of the money raised goes back to youths in Taylor County," Helmer added.

Helmer said it the show would not have been possible without ACCO and the many adult volunteers.