My trip to Annual Meeting in KC (trip report)
Oct 29, 2019 10:52:52 GMT -6
rockmillsherefords, jjbcattleco, and 3 more like this
Post by Glenn on Oct 29, 2019 10:52:52 GMT -6
I have been so busy since I got home that I am just now getting around to this. It will be a little "scattered" and maybe a little hard to read but will address a few things that I hadn't intended to at first since apparently I was "under surveillance" at the meeting unbeknownst to me at the time. Guess I'm some sort of "internet bad guy" or something.
I got to KC late Thursday evening after an 8+ hour drive up from Wichita Falls. It rained constantly from my house south of Wichita Falls, Texas to the city limits of Wichita, Kansas then mercifully stopped. Traffic was brutal and slow all through Oklahoma City. I had dilly dallied around with making reservations so rooms at the main hotel were sold out. I got a room at the "back up" hotel for Thursday and Friday night but even they were sold out for Saturday night so I was "on the fly" for that night. KC had a home game vs. the Packers that weekend and the town was buzzing for the big game on Sunday night minus their Texas grown QB Mahomes. I arrived at the Argosy Casino and Spa Hotel with my wife in tow and we got checked in and decided to explore the casino a bit even thought it was after 10PM. It was okay but nothing too fancy. We came back to our room $150 poorer and hit the sack about midnight. I awoke at 6AM and dressed to go run on the treadmill in the workout room. I got a good 4 mile run in on the treadmill at about an 8:38 pace and then lifted weights for about 30 minutes and went upstairs to find my wife awake and getting ready. I got a shower and dressed and we went downstairs and had a cinnamon roll and some coffee then drove the 15 minute drive to the downtown hotel for the meeting. On the drive over, I had to mention to my wife that "there is an outside chance that there may be someone here that doesn't exactly care for me and may say something rude". She was flabbergasted. "Really?". I said I didn't think so that most people are nice but that because of my little internet bulletin board there may be someone upset enough to say something. I honestly did not expect that but thought I should tell here just in case since my wife is the most congenial, easy to like person in America.
We got to the registration about 8:20ish and found the convention on the third floor. Got our badges and started walking around the lobby area. Mostly friendly hellos and such. After a few minutes we started meeting people. I really enjoyed meeting so many people that I "knew" from FB but had never met in person. I also met about 3 HT "folks". In every case everyone was as friendly and nice as could possibly be. Even a few that I had "crossed swords" with on FB or here were nothing but nice and polite and friendly and I believe that I was in return as well. I even had a few "total strangers" say that they followed me on FB and that they absolutely "loved" my cattle pics. And they thought I had some of the best looking Herefords anywhere. Really, really made me feel good. Then to really give me the BIG HEAD there were some women who came up and asked me if I ever get told that I look like an actor on some TV show that is popular now.
My take home point is that I had a GREAT time meeting people. And I want to make another point perfectly CLEAR. I talked with Jack Ward 2-3 times in the hall over the two days and he was nothing but polite, friendly, and courteous. But evidently all is not as it appears. From some FB posts yesterday, apparently there were people there watching my every move. Recording my bathroom breaks and watching me in the hallways. All while too COWARDLY to come say "hello" or if they hate me that much, at least tell me to my face. And even at that if you don't want to meet me that is fine, but why the need to go on FB and talk about me leaving a boring talk on "genomics" to go the bathroom as if I am some sort of "truant"?
As far as my "critique" goes, I didn't particularly love the "educational meetings". Mostly canned blather. I did like the meeting with the Premium Beef guy. He was funny in that he pretty much said "black was king" and that wasn't going to change. He seemed to be urging breeders to breed bigger as the way to make more money was BIGGER CARCASS with MORE MARBLING.
On Saturday (just so the FB critics will know) I was at the actual ANNUAL MEETING from gavel to gavel and voted my conscience on the board election. No one ever asked for my vote or tried to influence me one way or the other. Two of the three that I voted for won seats. The most interesting thing from the meeting was that the Association had a bad year financially. In the red all across the board. CHB was REALLY, REALLY red for the year. Registrations were down. Cow Inventories were down. It will be truly interesting to see what happens over the next 12 months.
Nobody talked to me about anything controversial, and I never broached any controversial subjects with any one else. I had a couple of people who know about HT ask me how I was "being treated" and as I told them, "couldn't be better". I am not an "in your face" type person but had anyone asked I would have given my opinions. I know that "purity" is a hot topic here and I am interested in it but it truly is NOT a "hot button" issue for me personally. My issue for so many years has been the "too much show emphasis" and "not enough commercial emphasis". I honestly think that lots of people have this feeling and it was talked about at the meeting. I do think 2 of the 3 new board members will at least "try" to focus on this. I think the "financial issues" will force the association to decide where to focus. This may be to a more commercial focus or it could be to "lets just be a show breed" focus. Time will tell.
If any one has a question, I will try to answer as honestly as I can.
~Glenn Chitwood
Wichita Falls, Texas
I got to KC late Thursday evening after an 8+ hour drive up from Wichita Falls. It rained constantly from my house south of Wichita Falls, Texas to the city limits of Wichita, Kansas then mercifully stopped. Traffic was brutal and slow all through Oklahoma City. I had dilly dallied around with making reservations so rooms at the main hotel were sold out. I got a room at the "back up" hotel for Thursday and Friday night but even they were sold out for Saturday night so I was "on the fly" for that night. KC had a home game vs. the Packers that weekend and the town was buzzing for the big game on Sunday night minus their Texas grown QB Mahomes. I arrived at the Argosy Casino and Spa Hotel with my wife in tow and we got checked in and decided to explore the casino a bit even thought it was after 10PM. It was okay but nothing too fancy. We came back to our room $150 poorer and hit the sack about midnight. I awoke at 6AM and dressed to go run on the treadmill in the workout room. I got a good 4 mile run in on the treadmill at about an 8:38 pace and then lifted weights for about 30 minutes and went upstairs to find my wife awake and getting ready. I got a shower and dressed and we went downstairs and had a cinnamon roll and some coffee then drove the 15 minute drive to the downtown hotel for the meeting. On the drive over, I had to mention to my wife that "there is an outside chance that there may be someone here that doesn't exactly care for me and may say something rude". She was flabbergasted. "Really?". I said I didn't think so that most people are nice but that because of my little internet bulletin board there may be someone upset enough to say something. I honestly did not expect that but thought I should tell here just in case since my wife is the most congenial, easy to like person in America.
We got to the registration about 8:20ish and found the convention on the third floor. Got our badges and started walking around the lobby area. Mostly friendly hellos and such. After a few minutes we started meeting people. I really enjoyed meeting so many people that I "knew" from FB but had never met in person. I also met about 3 HT "folks". In every case everyone was as friendly and nice as could possibly be. Even a few that I had "crossed swords" with on FB or here were nothing but nice and polite and friendly and I believe that I was in return as well. I even had a few "total strangers" say that they followed me on FB and that they absolutely "loved" my cattle pics. And they thought I had some of the best looking Herefords anywhere. Really, really made me feel good. Then to really give me the BIG HEAD there were some women who came up and asked me if I ever get told that I look like an actor on some TV show that is popular now.
My take home point is that I had a GREAT time meeting people. And I want to make another point perfectly CLEAR. I talked with Jack Ward 2-3 times in the hall over the two days and he was nothing but polite, friendly, and courteous. But evidently all is not as it appears. From some FB posts yesterday, apparently there were people there watching my every move. Recording my bathroom breaks and watching me in the hallways. All while too COWARDLY to come say "hello" or if they hate me that much, at least tell me to my face. And even at that if you don't want to meet me that is fine, but why the need to go on FB and talk about me leaving a boring talk on "genomics" to go the bathroom as if I am some sort of "truant"?
As far as my "critique" goes, I didn't particularly love the "educational meetings". Mostly canned blather. I did like the meeting with the Premium Beef guy. He was funny in that he pretty much said "black was king" and that wasn't going to change. He seemed to be urging breeders to breed bigger as the way to make more money was BIGGER CARCASS with MORE MARBLING.
On Saturday (just so the FB critics will know) I was at the actual ANNUAL MEETING from gavel to gavel and voted my conscience on the board election. No one ever asked for my vote or tried to influence me one way or the other. Two of the three that I voted for won seats. The most interesting thing from the meeting was that the Association had a bad year financially. In the red all across the board. CHB was REALLY, REALLY red for the year. Registrations were down. Cow Inventories were down. It will be truly interesting to see what happens over the next 12 months.
Nobody talked to me about anything controversial, and I never broached any controversial subjects with any one else. I had a couple of people who know about HT ask me how I was "being treated" and as I told them, "couldn't be better". I am not an "in your face" type person but had anyone asked I would have given my opinions. I know that "purity" is a hot topic here and I am interested in it but it truly is NOT a "hot button" issue for me personally. My issue for so many years has been the "too much show emphasis" and "not enough commercial emphasis". I honestly think that lots of people have this feeling and it was talked about at the meeting. I do think 2 of the 3 new board members will at least "try" to focus on this. I think the "financial issues" will force the association to decide where to focus. This may be to a more commercial focus or it could be to "lets just be a show breed" focus. Time will tell.
If any one has a question, I will try to answer as honestly as I can.
~Glenn Chitwood
Wichita Falls, Texas
