HOOSIER SPROUTS
Indiana Prairie Farmer - November 2006
43
Big Hoosier livestock event
marks a 20-year milestone
By TOM J. BECHMAN
Y
OU can count on one
hand the number of
events that stand
the test of time and
wind up mega-times
bigger than anyone
expected.
That
makes the 20th anniversary of the Hoosier
Beef Congress unique.
“We’ve
adopted
the
theme
‘Celebrating 20 years of show ring success,’ ” explains Dawn Davis. She’s
executive assistant and coordinator
for special events for the Indiana Beef
Cattle Association.
This year’s Congress happens Dec. 1,
2 and 3 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds
in Indianapolis. Davis looks for 1,500
head of cattle to walk through show
rings and sale rings at the event. A trade
show accompanies the Congress; it is
open all three days.
Show ring success isn’t the only benefit of what’s become the premier preview beef-cattle show in the Midwest.
Youth can participate in
a wide range of events, including showmanship, poster
presentations competition,
livestock judging and
photography. There’s
also an overall highpoints award for top
young competitors.
Registration
to
show is due Nov. 1. Youth can sign
up for most other activities on site.
Cattle sold in purebred and crossbred sales on Friday are eligible for the
junior shows on Saturday and Sunday,
Davis says.
Get a premises ID
You won’t enter the show ring this year
unless you have registered and received
a premises identification number with
the Indiana Board of Animal Health.
Officials intend to enforce this requirement tightly, Davis says.
“We’ve done everything we can to
make forms available, plus the Indiana
Board of Animal Health will be set up on
site to register anyone still needing an
Purdue student earns
Tom Budd scholarship
ID number,” according to Davis.
Since this is a national rule, even outof-state exhibitors must show a premises ID number. Out-of-state exhibitors
must also belong to the Indiana Beef
Cattle Association.
■ To learn more about the Congress,
go to www.hoosierbeefcongress.com
or call (317) 872-2333.
No chance to win!
T
HE youngster pictured below
trying the Tug-of-War at the
Purdue University safety display is no
match for flowing grain. He needed at
least 330 pounds of force to pull his
“dad” out of the grain bin. But he could
only manage 25 pounds of force.
Fortunately it was a dummy, not his
dad, buried on the other end of the
rope.
Paul Jones of Purdue University
ag safety says it’s a game virtually
no one can win. Purdue displays the
grain-bin Tug-of War at major shows
to remind people of the dangers of
flowing grain.
T
OM Budd, longtime editor of Indiana Prairie
Farmer and vice president for editorial with
Farm Progress Cos., lives on in a scholarship
established recently. Budd, a Lebanon native,
passed away in September 2005.
The Tom Budd Indiana Prairie Farmer
Freshman Ag Communications Scholarship will
be presented annually to an outstanding student
entering the Purdue College of Agriculture Ag
Communications curriculum as a freshman. This
year’s winner was Amanda Beckley.
You can inquire about the scholarship through
the Purdue College of Agriculture.
SUPPORT FOR YOUNG
WRITER: Natalie Federer,
Purdue University College of
Agriculture, presents the Tom
Budd Memorial Scholarship to
Amanda Beckley.
New ATVs ready to ride
T
HERE’S
never
Farm Progress Cos. edia shortage of
tors uncovered these three
people and exmodels
at the farm shows four-wheeler
citement around the lots of
ready for rollout at
utility-vehicle makers at farm shows. fall farm shows.
After all, they’re exciting to drive. And
Remember to provide adequate
they catch the eye of some middle-aged safety training for youngsters who opfolks, too, not just youngsters.
erate ATVs.
Kawasaki
rolls out 50 cc
Show this one
to your dad,
kids! Kawasaki
has introduced
two new smaller
all-terrain vehicles to its lineup. The
KFX50 is a 50 cc model rated for kids
ages 6 and up and the KFX90 is a 90
cc model rated for kids 12 and up. Both
feature electric start, parental controls, a
four-stroke engine and automatic transmission. Available in green or white, the
KFX50 lists for $1,749 and the KFX90
lists for $2,149. Contact Kawasaki; (800)
661-RIDE; www.kawasaki.com.
Cub Cadet shows utility vehicle
Cub Cadet has a new 4x4 utility vehicle.
It has a 14.4-cubic-foot cargo box and
can haul 1,300 pounds at 24 mph. It
also has automatic style half-shaft drive
fully enclosed for maximum protection,
four-wheel hydraulic 8-inch disk brakes
and a dualcircuit master
brake cylinder.
Base list price
is $7,999.
Contact
Cub Cadet;
(877) CUB
TOUGH; www.
cubcadet.com.
TOO LITTLE ‘TUG’: Trying to pull
someone stuck in grain out of the pile
is nearly impossible for anyone, but
especially for a small child.
Artic Cat releases Prowl
Artic Cat’s new Prowler utility vehicle is a
good fit for the farm. It has a 641 cc fourstoke, single-cylinder engine; front and
rear 2-inch receiver hitches; dual 12-volt
accessory plugs; bucket seats; and 600
pounds of rear storage capacity. The
Prowler list price is $9,295. The Prowler
XT, which includes options such as a
front locking four-wheel-drive differential,
a rear-mounted sway bar, aluminum
wheels, digital instrumentation and a
heavy-duty front bumper, lists at approximately $9,995. Contact Artic Cat, Thief
River Falls, Minn.; (218) 681-8558; www.
articcat.com.