by Dr. Clyde D Lane, Jr., Extension Specialist at the University of Tennessee
1. Thou shall NOT feed, train, and care for the animal…for you are trying to teach children responsibility.
2. Thou shall forgive a child for making mistakes in the showring…for you have made mistakes too.
3. Thou shall NOT get mad when the child forgets items in the showbox…for one day you might forget the whole showbox.
4. Thou shall help the show management. They are doing a good job at a job you would not want to do.
5. Thou shall see that your child is on time for all show activities, for you would not want to wait on another.
6. Thou shall be sure that your child has the animals entered and the registration papers in order at the designated time.
7. Thou shall teach the child that winning a blue ribbon is a desirable goal, but making friends along the way is a much more worthy goal.
8. Thou shall NOT complain about the judge, for it is his opinion that has been sought that day.
9. Thou shall remember that livestock projects are teaching projects…not necessarily money-making projects.
10. Thou shall remember that the livestock project is a family project that should be enjoyed and supported by the entire family.
Note from Rachel: This has always been one of my favorites. I saw it many years ago and asked Dr. Lane for permission to reprint. Now that I am a show mom myself, it’s always a good reminder.
