Wait, what? Rules of the wash rack is a thing? Yep, even on the wash rack, there are things you should and should not do.
Funny, I’ve seen comments on our blogs like…“This is common sense, not sure why it has to be said.”
This makes me laugh because they are totally right. And yet, it still needs to be said. Why? Because we are teaching here.
So here go the Rules of the Wash Rack…
Have you ever stepped in a pile of manure when you walked into the wash rack?
Have you ever left your spot with all your stuff in it to go get your next calf and someone slid right into your spot and helped themselves to your hose?
Here are some tips in case you need a little reminding. If you already know these things, but would love for those in your community to adhere to them…share this article.
You never know, they may just read it and be enlightened! Oh, and this applies to showmen of all species.
There may be people on the other side of your animal…
Contrary to popular belief, your animal does not create a force field that protects anyone behind it from your hose.
I’d love to have a YouTube video of people getting sprayed on the other side of a kid’s animal…because it happens all of the time…and that video would be funny.
So many of us can relate. I’ve been drenched on more than one occasion. Frank wears these really attractive bib overall wash pants on the wash rack. We tease him all of the time, but he comes off of the wash rack dry much more often than the rest of us.
Pay attention to where you’re spraying, keep your hose nozzle pointed down, unless you are on their bellies. Then, bend your knees and spray up at their bellies and in a direction away from others on the wash rack.
Don’t steal a spot…
The most effective way to keep your spot if you have more than one head to wash is to stay right where you are and have someone bring you the stock. Hand the clean one off to your helper and take the next one to wash.
Want to be sure you don’t steal a spot? If you are waiting in line, as the guy takes his calf/lamb/hog off the wash rack, ask if he’s done.
And while we are not stealing, the wash rack is not a free-for-all.
I’ve had friends who’ve made a sport out of seeing how many hoses they can go home with. Honestly, how many hoses could you possibly need?
The boys had better come back with their stuff, even before their cattle. People are far less likely to walk off with your steer than your soap! Seriously though, don’t leave your stuff on the wash rack, it’s likely to walk away.
Leave the Wash Rack Clean…
I’m no kind of primadonna, but I don’t particularly enjoy stepping in manure. Okay, I may be a little bit of a primadonna because I was much more careful where I stepped at Will’s first pig jackpot than I ever have been at a cattle show…but you can see where I was coming from right?
If your animal poops on the wash rack, wash it down the drain. The whole point of the wash rack is cleanliness.
If you walk into a dirty wash rack, wash it down before you begin to wash your animal. What is the point of getting them clean and then either splashing manure up on them or having them step on it once they are clean?
The Wash Rack Is NOT for Tie-Outs
There are many places at a show to tie your calf while you clean the bed. The wash rack is NOT one of them. Generally, wash rack space is limited at a show. There is nothing more irritating than waiting around for a kid to quit goofing around while fixing his bed and come move his steer out of the way so you can wash.
The Wash Rack Is NOT for Feeding
Equally as irritating is a calf in the wash rack with a big black rubber feed pan/tub of grain that he has stepped in and scattered across the wash rack. Why a rubber tub you ask me? I don’t know either but the kid who feeds on the wash rack always seems to use those.
The bottom line is that sooner or later you’ll get people wet on the wash rack and you’ll get drenched yourself. It’s all part of it, just try to keep control of the water.
One last point that isn’t etiquette at all… it’s safety. When you head back to your stalls from the wash rack be careful not to lead or turn them too quickly. Shows often have concrete or other surfaces that are slick to wet hooves. We had a really good bull at State Fair one year that got left in the stall on show day because he went down on the way into the bed with wet feet from the wash rack.
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Comment below if you have a funny wash rack story or have a specific topic you’d like us to address.
