Landon Deatsman, hugs his father, Brian, with his brother, Collin, alongside after his Hereford heifer was selected Fifth Overall Champion Bred and Owned Female at the Junior National Hereford Expo.
The boys are following a family tradition of participating in the junior nationals. Photo provided by Janelle Deatsman.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

LEESBURG — Collin and Landon Deatsman of Leesburg are following in a family tradition of showing cattle at the national and state levels.

Recently Landon, 12, took fifth overall with his Hereford heifer at the Junior National Hereford Expo. in Madison, Wis. while Collin, 16, competed in Grand Isle, Neb. showing at the Junior National Angus Show.
The boys’ parents, Brian and Janelle Deatsman, both grew up showing cattle. Janelle showed Angus while Brian showed Limousin, a French breed of beef cattle. Both showed in the Junior National program. “It’s a good family activity,” Janelle said.

Janelle pointed out the Angus that Collin showed was a six-generation known breed meaning she probably showed one of its ancestors when she was showing.

Both boys showed at the Indiana State Fair with Landon earning Grand Champion Hereford and Collin earning Champion Angus and Hereford; both went to Oklahoma to show.

Janelle said the boys are definitely following a family tradition with their paternal grandfather, Max Deatsman, who showed in 4-H and their maternal grandmother, Sharon Herald, also showing cattle when she was a girl.

The boys start working with their cattle in early May with show season running through August. They have a couple of months off and then winter show season runs December through March. They decide which shows to attend based on what shape their cattle are in, their sports season and, in the fall, harvest season.

Both boys are in the Junior Nationals program and can show through age 21. Collin started showing cattle at age 4 while Landon was in the show ring at age 6.
“It was the right calf, right place to show,” Janelle said.

Once the boys aged out of the Junior National program there are open shows they can participate in as adults.

During show season, the boys wash their cattle once or twice a day, depending on how hot it is outside. They then blow them dry focusing on getting the hair to lay straight. They also practice their showmanship, getting the animal in their stride and setting their feet properly.

While in ring, the judges may ask questions, such as when the animal was born or if it’s a steer, and how much it weighs. Collin said the strangest question a judge asked him was what was his favorite fair food. Collin said funnel cake or elephant ears.

Collin said usually the judges are hard to read, which makes showing a bit harder. But once the rankings are announced, the judges explain why they classed the field the way they did.
“Sometimes you disagree, but it makes sense,” Collin said.

When going to a show, the boys take one to five animals with them. When traveling out of state, they don’t stop unless they absolutely have too. The boys said they do a lot of night traveling when its cooler for the cattle.

“It’s hard to sleep. I have to sleep on the floor while Collin gets the bench (of the truck),” Landon said.
And when showing, there is a lot of gear to pack as well, from clipping blades, mats, show boxes, gates and pens, food, feed buckets and much more.

Collin said he enjoys winning and spending time with family and friends, while Landon said he likes the corn hole tournaments at Junior Nationals and seeing friends he hasn’t seen for a while.