The first image is of Dad showing a steer on the town square in Headland. I will have to ask him to help scrounge up an approximate date the photo was taken. The second one is of me and my prized steer. This steer won Grand Champion in Henry County, placed fairly highly in the Tri-State Show and then was auctioned off to Hardees and some other business. As these photos attest, often activities are passed down through the families. My brother Miles, stepbrother Luke and I got started showing steers as early as 1980 or 1981. Dad provided the steer and we paid for the feed. There's no telling how many hours we - well, perhaps mostly Dad - spent "breaking" and grooming these fine beasts. In the end, when the last show was complete, we'd always have quite a bit of spending money. Usually, by then, my income was parlayed into another hobby: baseball card collecting. Incidentally, baseball card collecting was another hobby Dad introduced to my brother and me. Dad had a collection when he a boy and he saw to it that we got our first set of cards. In fact, the first set he gave us was a 1979 Topps set, ordered from Reneta Glasgow. We were sitting around the dinner table at my grandparents' house when Dad gave the new set to us. I remember that box of cards, and where Dad was sitting at the breakfast table when he gave it to us. That hobby - baseball card collecting -became an obsession Miles and I pursued for many years!
Thanks, Allen !
My steer won Reserve Grand Champion in Henry County . I was either in the 7th or 8th grade. After winning with this steer, Daddy and I decided to go into the cattle business so we went to Mr. Jack Bridges and purchased 10 Registered Black Angus heifers and grew them to breeding age. The next year we purchased a bull from Rocky Creek farm in Ashford, owned by W.A.Womack and his son, Billy. Their farm was considered one of the top Angus farms in the U.S. , not just Alabama. This was the beginning of M & M Farms (Major & Mark).
The year above would have been 1957 or 58.
Love,
Dad
April 19, 1961
cousin Sid Brannon on left, Major W. Espy, Sr. in background
Wiregrass Farmer, April 27, 1961
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| Dad, likely in high school. |
1 comment:
My first memory of the calf shows was the one held in Headland on the square! I didn't have a calf that year but got to lead one for brother Sam. I know that Mark had one and maybe Marilyn. The east side of the square was blocked off from the Thrift store to the City Hall.
Not nearly as much attention was paid to properly breaking the calves as it is today and some of us had unruly showmanship. Ribbons were highly coveted and in later years became everyone's goal. We caught, haltered them and washed them usually on weekends and more regularly the closer it came to show time. Packers Tar Soap was the soap of choice and was purchased at the drug store. CASH DRUG for us but, not for cash. I'd tell them to charge it to daddy just like I did for my haircuts from Mr. Cutchens!!! I always thought that I told Mr. Cutchens that I wanted a haircut (like uncle Major's), but must have heard the story too many times because it was actually brother Wayne who told him so. Must have gotten that confused with the time they found me on my tricycle at three years old on the south end of Forrest St, near where Marilyn and Don's house was built. I told them that I was going to Uncle Majors.
As you know J.A. had a good eye for all cattle. We went all over looking for calves that he thought could compete in our county show and the Tri-State show in Dothan. He was serious about his cows and a seriously good cattle man. We were in south Georgia at a Hereford farm looking for calves for David Folger, Bill Vann and me. David was given first choice of the four that daddy bought and brought back to our pasture in the backyard. He chose a pretty calf with solid brown neck that came far out on his face giving him a distinctive look. Actually we didn't have a trailer or truck to haul them. That was accomplished by contacting Mr. "Pomp" Shelly in Tumbleton. (Alicia's grandfather) Bill was second to choose and picked one with a solid white face and a big brown spot on his neck. I chose next and picked a smaller white faced calf that appealed to me. I failed to say that daddy coached each of us that the larger calf that nobody wanted, or chose, was the best calf of the four. Since he had bought them and I am sure financed them at the HNB, he told me that I would have two calves that year. As J. A. thought his first pick won Grand Champion of the show (Henry County) and the calf that I picked finished as Reserve Champion. When that happened I couldn't lead them both for pictures for the paper so Mark was drafted for that duty.
Strange as it may sound today, that years success (mainly J.A.'s) and the preceding year's money went into my savings account at HNB to provide the base for my college education.
Uncle Major was thrifty and believed in showing what you raised and the Espys usually showed calves from their own farms and always had high placing stock. At the show on the square in 1958 or 9, those calves of Sam's were from daddy's and uncle Sam's herd. In years after 1959 the shows were held at Headland or Abbeville Stockyards alternating each year.
The trophies have been long broken and discarded but, the great memories of those dear friends and relatives are always with me! Even Mila showed one year!
I miss them all!!
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