Page 21 - 2021 November PC 4-H Connection

TOOL BOX
Hammer, cordless drill, screw drivers, wrenches, sockets, nails and screws of varying sizes. And zip ties!
Don’t forget zip ties! It sounds like a lot and often folks are skeptical of these additions to the show box.
Yet they all come in handy at one time or another. Driving stall divider stays in dirt; fastening fans to walls
or panels; fixing gates at the show facility; drilling holes for halters in tie outs. Tools from a neighbor’s box
were even once used to help a family break in to their own show box because they had forgotten the
combination to the padlock they had installed. Sure, tools can add some weight to the box, but show day
tools are helpful in endless ways. Just know, if you have a good assortment of tools in your showbox you will
become popular on set-up and tear-down day because a lot of people will need to borrow them.

HAIR TIES
The lifespan of a hair tie (hair diddy, scrunchie, ponytail holder–whatever you want to call it) is pretty much
a one-time use. Those little things disappear like prime rib on a buffet. They are hard to keep tabs on, but
very important to the female show folks. Show kids need to enter the ring with their hair out of their faces.

Show moms often start the day groomed and put together. By the time the washing, fitting, or loading
starts, though, momma is often looking for something to tie her hair on top of her head. Twine is an option,
but the little pieces of rope are itchy. Zip ties have been spotted under bows in the the show ring.
Although they may hold a gate closed, they are lacking in their hair-holding ability. To avoid these subpar
substitutes, throw an extra pack of hair ties in the show box. Girls and women from all over the barn will
flock to you and ask to use one.

HAIR GEL
Just like hair ties are a necessity for the girly girl…hair gel is a must have for the stylish boys. They’ve had
their ball caps on all day and have been so focused on fitting their calf’s hair just right that they never
thought to consider their own. As they are buttoning up their show shirt, mom can grab the hair gel and a
fluffer comb then do her magic. Hat head, be gone! (And, by the way, if this item missed getting tossed in
your box, light adhesive is an alternative often used on kid hair at our stalls. Disclaimer: It’s hard to wash
out with only shampoo!).

DISINFECTING WIPES
So much more versatile that the traditional roll of paper towels, disinfecting wipes are an important
addition to a show box because they are so multifunctional. They can be used to clean livestock poop,
wipe paint off chute bars, clean snack tables, wipe out crock-pots once the show day meal is done, clean
hands, wipe dirt off of boots before the show kid enters the ring, and so much more! A word of caution
though: There was once an unfortunate show dad who grabbed the wrong kind of wipes on his way to a
toilet-paper-less port-a-potty at the county fair. So, make sure to keep disinfecting wipes out of reach of
small children and people with port-a-potty emergencies. Otherwise, it could get ugly.

THE SHOW BOX SHOULD BE YOUR GO-TO PIECE OF SHOW EQUIPMENT.

Go ahead and pack those non-traditional items that will make your show day run more smoothly. Your
family will thank you later!

21 PARKER COUNTY 4-H CONNECTION /NOV