Whatever happened to the grand livestock of yesteryear? The one’s we’d to proudly parade up and down the central arteries of town? The ones for whom only our fanciest ranching duds would do? The ones we’d pose our children in front of? The ones our popular local photo magazine would so graciously feature in four colors between its covers?
Long since eaten I’m afraid, and their decedents relegated to the evil confines of some factory farm hidden out of site up in the hills somewhere. The only time they get their pictures in a magazine these days is if they’re lucky enough to have some PETA spy smuggle a camera into one of their torture sessions.
I joke, of course. The Arizona National Livestock Show continues to this day, going strong, “supporting youth and promoting livestock and agriculture since 1948.” In fact, you can go see it this year from December 28 through January 1 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Bring your camera (hidden or otherwise).
But if you can’t muster the effort to head down there (I know I can’t), you can check out these glorious pix from yesteryear — the October 1968 edition of “Arizona Highways” magazine, to be specific.
The cow in photo #4 is a beast! Was this pre-steroid era cow raising? I do remember as a young lad being in 4H in suburban Chicago and going to the 4H fair and seeing cow contests. I’m glad the ANLS is still going on…
Hi there Captain Accuser. I scanned my images myself. I think you owe me an apology unless of course you take pride in being rude and presumptuous.
Ryan
You’re right. I apologize for trying to get people to the photo and publishing credits by going thought my own site.
I’m awful. You got me.
(Enjoy the traffic!)