HOW IT WORKS The Futurity is available for all Registered Texas Longhorn bulls that were born from November 1st 2019 through November 30th of 2021. Bulls can start arriving as soon as noon on Thursday the 10th of November and must be in place by 5pm on Friday the 11th. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT Bulls are unloaded and sent directly into “The Joe Chute” on hand at the facility and will be tagged for the show, weighed and measured from tip to tip. We will be offering prizes to the 2 largest weight bulls of the show. Weights taken will be added to the data that is given to the judges. Tip to tip measurements data will also be given to the judges but will also be used to help “seed” the animals in their individual brackets based on DHG, (daily horn growth). This will even out of the playing field as an example, a bull born April 1st 2021 with a tip to tip of 41 will be seeded lower over a bull that’s 41” tip to tip but born April 31st, 2021. This will only be used to start the bracket system for round one. WHAT IS THE BRACKET SYSTEM The Bracket System is a head to head style play. The bulls will come into the larger arena into two smaller pens in front of the judges and instead of giving those animals a score, example 74.5 the judges now will only have to pick between the two bulls. Which bull does each judge like more, the bull in the red ring… or the bull in the blue ring? Scores will be announced immediately to show that there is complete transparency in the honesty and integrity of the showdown. The winning bull will move to the alley of champions awaiting his next competitor. The losing bull will return back to his original stall and will be on display the rest of the weekend. The bulls all will start in a bracket of other bulls their age. As they win they will continue down the bracket system eventually meeting up with bulls of various ages to compete for the Ultimate prize of a 2022 Chevy 1500. The bull who takes second over all in the entire competition will win a brand new Tractor with accessories. JUDGING SYSTEM The Judges will consist of 5 Judges. 2 of those Judges are from the commercial world that their full time job is simply to go find good sound breeding bulls to select for large ranches to use. Having these style of judges on the panel that have no affiliation with the longhorn industry we will feel gives a very fair way of an outside opinion of what a true breeding herd sire should look like , ie, testicles, feet, etc The other 3 Judges will consist of Industry Leading programs that we feel truly knows the value in a longhorn herd sire. Programs that have changed the industry for a positive and is worthy of selecting the very first MBC Alamo Bull Showdown winners. SWEET 16 On Saturday the 12th all the bracket play will happen until we have a winner in each of the 16 age categories. This will give us what we are calling the “Sweet 16” Those top 16 bulls will advance to Sunday where they will continue to go head to head. This is where eventually the winner from the youngest class of Nov 2021 bulls will compete against the oldest class of Nov 2019 bulls. Do not be discouraged as over the years we all have seen young animals dominate over older animals. It all is in the eye of the judges to decide if the projection of that younger animal seems to outweigh where the older bull is currently at. This will really add excitement as everyone can watch live who wins instantly instead of waiting for hours to see what the judges decided. TRAVELING TROPHY So what happens once you win the ultimate prize??? Will you get to keep the truck, but you will also be awarded an amazing one of a kind “Traveling Trophy” this will have your ranch and bulls name added to it and you will come back to again have your ranches name and bulls name advertised in the 2023 The Alamo Bull Showdown and the trophy will go home with that years winner and continue that tradition. The plans are as of now to look at other locations around the country and move the event around the keep it fair for everyone who has to travel.