Fair Enough
Anyone who is in 4-H can relate to a psychological term known as "herd mentality." This occurs when individuals adopt the beliefs, behaviors or attitudes of the majority in a group, often at the expense of their own judg-ment or individuality. One example would be a person who dresses a certain way because others in their social circle dress similarly.
Herd mentality can happen at the county fair, too. It can take over when you are grooming your show stock. You might think you know what you're doing, but there are dozens of other families who are way more advanced. Their brushes are fancier, they are more precise and detailed in their clipping, and they might even have a professional fitter helping them prep their calf for show.
I tend to be the type of person who would say, "Good for them" and continue with my minimalistic approach: a good washing followed by some brushing and, the final touch, an application of show sheen. That's what I did when I was in 4-H. Today, I look around on show day and observe people doing things I've never thought about.
This year, I noticed everyone seemed to be working on their steers' tails. They curried the hair and pulled it back until it formed a ball. Then they sprayed it to hold it in place. The result is a really nice, finished look.
I don't object to any-one who wants to go the extra mile in the grooming and clipping process. However, it is my opinion that the judge doesn't really care about a steer's tail. A balled-up tail might speak to your grooming ability, but there's absolutely no market value in a fancy tail.
Despite my minimalist approach, my daughter really wanted to do a nice job on the tail, so we teased it as best we could.
One's personality makes a big difference in how you handle those situations. If you are used to being mentored and learning from other folks, you might get along quite well when someone suggests using this product or grooming your animal in such a way.
But if you tend to be an independent sort like me, then you might feel the pressure to conform. If you give in to the herd mentality, you might feel like you've betrayed your own values. You think, "Dad wouldn't have done this. Why did I?"
Complicating things even more is the fact that you and your spouse and your 4-H son or daughter all have your own opinions. You all have to work together toward a common purpose. As I've heard many times before, it's not me, but we. Sometimes, change can be a good thing.
The bottom line is, if you don't talk about your approach before fair week, you may find yourself caving in to the herd mentality on show day.