Every champion you see in the show ring, no matter the species, is standing on the same three pillars: training, knowledge, and practice. Miss even one of these, and it shows. Get all three right, and you’ll be hard to beat.

Training: Building a Bond First

Training is where it all starts. You can read all the books, attend all the clinics, and watch every champion in the ring, but if your animal isn’t trained, none of it will matter. Training is about more than control — it’s about building a relationship. That goes for sheep, calves, goats, and pigs.

A sheep that fights you in the ring, a steer that refuses to walk, or a goat that won’t stand still all have one thing in common: they weren’t given consistent time at home. Training starts with just a few minutes a day. Small steps, repeated daily, turn into massive results.

Knowledge: The Edge Most Showmen Miss

Here’s the truth: a lot of kids work hard. But not all of them are learning while they work. That’s where knowledge comes in. The showmen who rise to the top aren’t just putting in barn time — they’re also learning new techniques, watching judges, asking questions, and studying the details others ignore.

I’ve been at shows where two kids put in the same amount of work, but one knew how to hold the head right and that gave them the edge. That edge doesn’t come from luck — it comes from choosing to keep learning.

Practice: Habits that Stick

Practice is where everything you’ve trained and learned becomes automatic. I call it “habit building.” When you’ve repeated something enough, you no longer have to think about it. That frees up your mind to focus on what the judge is doing, to notice details others miss, and to show with calm confidence.

Practice means more than just time in your own barn. Jackpot shows, showmanship clinics, and even practicing with a friend acting as the judge all help you build those habits.

Bringing It All Together

Training. Knowledge. Practice. If one of these pillars is weak, your showmanship will wobble. But when all three are strong, the judge will notice.

If you want to dig deeper into exactly how to build these three areas step by step, I lay it all out in my book. But even if you just start here, with daily training, intentional learning, and purposeful practice, you’ll already be ahead of most of your competition.