16 Days at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds - The Cattlemen’s Congress
We are now 8 days into the 16 day event - The Cattlemen’s Congress. I have to tell you it is an amazing event and a true pleasure to shoot. The Cattlemen’s Congress already had their “Event Photographer” signed up but they asked me to shoot more candid shots in the barn and stall areas. I can tell you I would much rather shoot the fun, cool shots in the barns while everyone is getting their livestock prepped and ready for the competition. Not being raised in the world of showing livestock this was a new experience for me but like I said it was an amazing experience and we are only half way done at this point.
The Cattlemen’s Congress is in it’s second year and was brought about when the huge livestock show in Denver decided two years ago that the world of COVID needed to cancel their event. In steps those affiliated with the Express Ranch located in Yukon, OK.. It just so happens that a huge number of livestock shows take place at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds so it was a natural fit.. and it’s amazing how an event that is only in it’s second year can be so incredibly manager and ran. It is truly a thing to behold.
The event is taking place this year from January 1st - 16th and the number of people that are competing in the multitude of competitions is staggering. It is honestly a constant movement of livestock and people. One group comes in and sets up and preps their livestock, shows them and then out they go to make room for the next round of participants. This truly might be my favorite event I have shot. The action, people, livestock and constantly something to shoot.
When I first approached JD with the Cattlemen’s Congress I was a little bummed that they already had an event photographer but now that I have been in the barns and stalls… I would have picked the action of the stalls and barns over taking set shots in front of a banner of first, second and third place in every event. That truly isn’t what I do. I love to walk around with the people involved and get the shots of the preparation of the livestock, talk to everyone and see the “behind the scenes” activity. There is nothing better in my opinion. Does the set winner shots pay more - of course it does but it doesn’t matter to me.
As you can see from the photos I took over the first few days there are some incredible people doing incredible things to prepare their livestock to show.
We are now half way done with the show and I am back out tomorrow bright and early to snap a few more shots. Keep an eye out for another update first of the week.
JBP
