I have been asked to give a report on the current progress of the International Show.

Please click on the link below to download the paperwork.

MIDWEST HIGHLAND CATTLE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL SHOW 2006

August Update....

Hello Friends!
I am happy to say that the paperwork is officially out, if you did not receive it in an e-mail you should find it in your mailbox sometime this week. I know we have said it several times but we mean it when we say if you have any questions please contact us.

Like most great works this one too has its flaws, in this case we forgot to attach a map. Fortunate for you and I the fairground has excellent directions and links to map quest. Follow this link http://www.4hfair.org/direction.htm to get directions and if you have problems or questions again let me know.

For a map of the fairgrounds follow this link http://www.4hfair.org/map.htm and there you will find another link for the enlarged and more detailed version. When you arrive at the fairgrounds please enter through Gate 4 and proceed to the Dairy Barn. We will have signs up for you to follow. You are welcome to leave your trailers at the fairgrounds for the duration of the show in the Orange parking lots.

The other details that got left out of your paperwork; we will have bedding and hay for sale at the fairgrounds for any who need it, and if you would like information on local Bed and Breakfasts please e-mail me. Lastly we have hired an excellent caterer from here in Goshen, Dandinos. If you are going to be in the area I highly recommend a visit, the food is wonderful, be sure to try the twice-baked potato!

I am so excited about this event and sharing my town with all of you. If you have any other questions or ideas drop me a line. I’ll be putting updates here as I have them so keep checking back.

Blessings to you and yours,
Adrianne & The Cairdeas Druim Family

June Update....

This is what I know for sure; I hate football. That wasn’t what you were expecting was it? According to the latest issue of the Bagpipe, this show was supposed to be held September 9th. Yet due to the Notre Dame opening season home game every hotel, motel and bed and breakfast in a 50-mile range is booked solid on that very weekend. So I either had to change the date of the show OR you all had to sleep on the floor of my home, garage or stock trailer, put tents in my yard or bed down with your cows.

While these are all amusing thoughts, I felt that everyone would agree that we should probable just concede defeat and change the date. After many phone calls I discovered that the only dates available to us due to football, draft horses, auctions, hotels, etc. was early August or the 14th of October. I choose the October date primarily because here in Indiana August weather is generally 98-100 degrees with 100% humidity. I know that our cattle would not appreciate the heat or humidity and as responsible breeders you would not be willing to subject your animals to these extreme conditions.

The only problem with the October date is that it conflicts with the Northeast show. This is a very big problem for the members of the Northeast, as many of them had planned to attend. My family and I have discussed this with many members of the Midwest and we all agree that we feel very badly about this conflict but this year it cannot be helped. The bottom line is that this year breeders will have two shows to choose from on the weekend of October 14th, just as they do the weekend of October 7th when you have to choose between the Badger State Show in Wisconsin and the KILE Show in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. We are trying hard to make everyone happy, not only in our region but in the surrounding area as well. You should be receiving your entry information around the end of this month.

I am still very excited about the show. The Elkhart County Fairgrounds has amazing facilities and they are very excited about hosting this prestigious event. The American Beef Breeders Association is holding an exhibition and sale in the barn next to ours on the very same day. I think this will be wonderful opportunity for us as well as great exposure for our breed. If you would like more information about the facility visit www.4Hfair.org They also have well maintained camping areas, so if you prefer to sleep near your creatures you will have that option.

Goshen is an ideal town for a cow show. There are a variety of eating establishments and interesting local businesses, and best of all TSC, Wal-Mart and Ritter’s Frozen Custard are all less than 2 miles from the fairgrounds! To learn more about the city of Goshen and what it has to offer visit the chamber of commerce at www.goshen.org

Plans for the banquet are well under way and I am very excited. Loren Greenawalt, an amazingly gifted composer and performer, will provide pre-dinner entertainment. After dinner and awards have been distributed we will have the opportunity to relax and unwind by dancing the night away with the Goshen College jazz ensemble, Lavender Jazz. To learn more about Goshen College and Lavender Jazz go to www.goshen.edu

The official hotel for the weekend as well as the location for the banquet is the Goshen Ramada Inn, they are offering us a special discount rate of $55 per night for the weekend, regular price is $73. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are available and the hotel has asked that you please book your room by September 30th. To make reservations call 574-533-9551 and tell them you are with the American Highland Cattlemen’s Association. Unfortunately this is not a pet friendly hotel.

There are many other exciting plans still in the works so keep checking in at www.hairycows.com to get updates. In short the weekend is shaping up nicely and my family and I are looking forward to hosting you and this event. It will be a weekend to remember.