Congrats to your son and his steer for making the pictorial. Yeah, the first separation can be trying. However, as mentioned above, farm kids learn a lot of life lessons "in the barn".
One of the live stock judges at our local county fair gave an extemporaneous speech at the end of his judging. Basically thanking his parents for "raising him in the barn". And pointing out how the kids in the various live stock programs learn work ethics, responsibility, and the ups and downs of life. Not everyone gets a purple or pink or blue ribbon in the show ring. But they learn a lot of life lessons they can take with them that many kids raised off the farm will seldom understand.
Again, congrats to to your son...
Many judges have this same type of talk before the selection of a champion of a specific species.
And it's true. My kids do very well. I truly believe they are gaining through this to better prepare themselves to tackle whatever faces them out there in the world, especially after I am gone.
We push them hard. Expect a lot of them. Some would say we push a little too hard. They are always given the choice to do less, but reminded that is not how you prepare to do your best and be the best.
Had a few conversations where I tell my son you are fixing to get your butt handed to you. Particularly in the showmanship contests. He takes it as me not believing in him. I've explained numerous times that I completely believe in him but see that he is not preparing mentally and not doing all he can to prepare and do the work to succeed.
Did my heart good a year or 2 ago when he came out after winning a showmanship class I told him he was going to lose based on what he was doing, and not doing the day of the competition. He hugged his mom and said "Dad didn't believe in me". I hugged him and said I did believe in him, but he was setting the table to lose because all he wanted to do on the day of the show is screw around with his buddies. Same time, I told him to not come running to me afterwards crying because he lost. That would be on him and I am not going to be very compassionate when you sink your own ship for having your head up your butt when you should be preparing.
All it took was lighting his fire and he kicked it into the right gear and won.
