The Rural Voice, 1989-04, Page 63s
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wanted to go, he just gave her a quick
kick. We left them harnessed together
for the next few hours. When we
unharnessed the calf, we wondered if
any headway had been made.
On day two, however, we did see
an improvement. The heifer did
follow Tippy and this time when we
unharnessed the pair, the calf led well.
Jeremy named her Polled Princess and
was sure that she led much better than
the two calves he'd shown previously.
The theory was working. Tippy 1,
ICalf 0.
Next came Patrick's calf. This was
to be Patrick's first year at showing,
so Jim has selected a small heifer. She
too had been tied up in the barn to get
used to people. But when led to the
paddock, she put up a real fuss. Tippy
nevertheless seemed to know the
routine. The two were finally
harnessed together, though they had
to be watched constantly.
The calf opposed every step and
twice managed to get Tippy twisted in
the rope.' Although she went unnamed
to the paddock, we soon arrived at a
title that suited her: Tasmanian Devil.
For the day's finale, Tasmanian's
mother jumped the rail fence to join
her calf. That created a tense few
minutes while Jim scrambled to untie
Tippy and the calf with the angry
mother cow beside them. We decided
that that was enough for one day.
Day two continued in much the
same way. Tasmanian had learned
nothing. What had happened to the
theory? Tippy 1, Calf 1.
What were we going to do? Polled
Princess was leading beautifully, but
the Tasmanian Devil hadn't been sub-
dued. There were only two days left
before the fair. So Gayle and Steve
went to their herd and selected a
Blond D'Aquitaine heifer named
Clarabelle.
Clarabelle was first harnessed to
Tippy, complete with struggle, on
Wednesday evening. Tippy stood his
ground and the calf resisted each step.
It did not look promising.
On Thursday, the day before the
fair, Clarabelle was tied to Tippy
again. Little improvement was notice-
able. We considered abandoning the
idea of showing Clarabelle. Patrick
felt pretty disappointed.
The night, Jeremy and Patrick
J
practised leading the calves by the
light from the barn. Nearby, a bench-
ful of spectators expressed varying
opinions as to whether Clarabelle was
ready to enter the show. The consen-
sus was to persevere. It was begin-
ning to look like Tippy had done it
again. Tippy 2, Calf 1.
On fair day, as both boys groomed
their calves, they sized up the compe-
tition. A Charolais heifer, experienced
in shows, looked like the calf to beat.
At show time they entered the ring,
and our sons and calves did us proud.
Polled Princess led well and earned a
second place finish after the Charolais.
Patrick's Clarabelle wasn't eager to
co-operate, but she did respond to
being pulled around the ring. So
Patrick placed third with his last-
minute entry.
Those results do seem to support
the success of the donkey theory.
However, I must admit that in this
particular class there were only three
entries. Still, Jeremy did enter several
more classes that day and Polled
Princess won as champion beef cattle
of the fair. And both boys are making
plans, with a little help from Tippy,
for this year.
So there must be something to the
donkey theory after all. Perhaps a
tractor would do the same thing, I
don't know. But a donkey does have
an advantage over a tractor. Jeremy
and Patrick think Tippy himself would
make a good entry next year. There is,
they tell me, a donkey class. All we
need, they say, is a costume for Tippy
... I wonder what Tippy will think of
the move from paddock to centre
stage?0
Deborah Kennish-McCoubrey and
family live at R. R. 2, Annan, Ontario.
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APRIL 1988 61