The Oklahoma Panhandle State University Livestock Showing Team recently hosted the Panhandle Showdown goat and sheep show at the campus farm in Goodwell, Oklahoma.
Members of the team organized the show and worked in various roles throughout after being introduced at the beginning. A silent auction was held in conjunction with the show to raise money for entry fees and travel expenses.
While new to OPSU, livestock showing teams can be found at several colleges in Oklahoma, Mississippi, California and Wyoming. Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, has had a livestock showing team for several years.
The OPSU team has started their season with a small group of locally grown Shropshire lambs. Students are in charge of feeding the lambs, halter breaking them, and fitting them for the shows. Two-student teams work together in the showring as one student holds the head setting up the lamb for the judge’s handling while the second student adjusts the rear legs into optimal showing position.
In addition to the Showdown, the team traveled to the Mid-American Stock Show in Hutchinson earlier this fall with hopes of going to the American Royal and the National Western in the near future.
If you would like to donate to the OPSU Livestock Show Team, you can contact the team’s coach Crystal Tolle at [email protected].
Jennifer Theurer can be reached at 620-227-1805 or [email protected].
