\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0This one is long and I don’t care.\u00a0 If you don’t want to read it……..don’t.\u00a0 It is that simple.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Tammy and I have watched the 1883 show.\u00a0 It’s good but not always great.\u00a0 In short, it is about a group traveling to Oregon.\u00a0 Not all of them survive the journey.\u00a0 They have Tim McGraw and Sam Elliott as guides.\u00a0 We watched this streaming show during the months of February and March.\u00a0 Ironically, this is stock show season in Oklahoma and Texas.\u00a0 GOD bless the rest of you, but let’s be real, Oklahoma and Texas are the two most important stock show states.\u00a0 No offense.\u00a0 Just keepin it real.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I survived another OYE although I am having hell getting rid of the barn cough.\u00a0 I’m not a 100%.\u00a0 But like the rest of you, it ain’t covid and I’ll get through it.\u00a0 Just like I have for the past couple of decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 I experienced some firsts at the 2022 version of the Oklahoma Youth Expo.\u00a0 Normally, I just have a satisfaction feeling.\u00a0 A feeling of a job well done, goals reached, dreams dashed or like OSU football, there is always next year.\u00a0 This year was different.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0For starters, I knew that we had a good set of ag mech projects.\u00a0 However, I had a senior boy that pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table.\u00a0 Eric Quisenberry is the kind of kid that EVERY ag teacher wants\/needs in class.\u00a0 He won the livestock division at OYE in ’21.\u00a0 He wanted to win it all this year.\u00a0 He didn’t.\u00a0 Yet, he had the grand champion at Woodward District and ended up Bronze overall at OYE.\u00a0 He won a whole shop full of tools from these shows.\u00a0 So cool!<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 He built a cattle tub and alley.\u00a0 This project took up a lot of real estate and if you’ve ever been to the Shattuck Ag Building, we don’t have much shop space.\u00a0 It was fine as he worked and worked and worked.\u00a0 Nobody else welded on it.\u00a0 In short, he built a project that is better than you can buy from a commercial outfit.\u00a0 Badass!!!\u00a0 His presentation was spot on.\u00a0 OYE made a video about him and his project.\u00a0 I get choked up watching it. (I’ve now watched it 9 times)\u00a0 The OK State Secretary of Ag spent time and photo ops with him and this project (and she knows what it’s like working cattle).<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In short, I felt pride.\u00a0 Not self pride.\u00a0 Pride for the kid.\u00a0 I’ve dealt with a lot of big winners at major shows.\u00a0 This one felt different.\u00a0 I taught him the skills.\u00a0 I gave him the opportunity and he took it and ran with it.\u00a0 I wasn’t the dad, the jock, the breeder…..I was the teacher and I had the privilege of watching him work, build and most importantly, set an example for the other kids.\u00a0 His goal was to be grand.\u00a0 It didn’t happen.\u00a0 He placed right where I would have placed it.\u00a0 As good as this project was….it doesn’t have axles, hydraulics or electrical.\u00a0 And let’s be real, Bronze at a major show is wicked good!\u00a0 \u00a0Super proud of this kid.\u00a0 My sense of pride is not for me.\u00a0 It is strictly for EQ as he made a goal, worked for it and rang a bell in the end.\u00a0 So cool!<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Now, back to the livestock world.\u00a0 Another senior had pushed all in with his sheep project.\u00a0 Clayton Washmon decided to forego athletics his senior year.\u00a0 It was all about showing sheep.\u00a0 My goodness!!\u00a0 Bad accidents.\u00a0 Fungus, more fungus and a whole bucket full of bad luck plagued him all year.\u00a0 His attitude changed from a love of stock shows to one of a person that was determined to just finish the damn race.\u00a0 He rolled into Woodward district.\u00a0 He had grand with a wether that he raised.\u00a0 How cool is that?\u00a0 Badass cool is the proper answer.\u00a0 At OYE, he took three really, really good wethers.\u00a0 The first two placed but not where we had hoped.\u00a0 Simply put, there were better lambs in those classes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Senior year for Clayton was now down to one lamb.\u00a0 One he raised.\u00a0 Out of 9 classes of cross wethers, he was in class 7.\u00a0 And the class was good.\u00a0 The judge pulled him quickly on the walk.\u00a0 But, he also grabbed a couple of others.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 People, I have had the honor and privilege to have been associated with a lot of winning animals at major shows.\u00a0 I’ve followed many an animal down that ramp into that arena and watched as numerous kids\/animals were picked as winners–all species.\u00a0 I’ve done it with some of my best friends and I’ve done it with my own kids.\u00a0 Never, never before have I been nervous at a stock show.\u00a0 Jared Schneberger has stood with on that ramp and commented, “I don’t have a dog in the fight and I’m nervous.\u00a0 You have 4 kids in the lineup and you are you.”\u00a0 \u00a0Duke was one of them and it didn’t matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 This was a first.\u00a0 Never with my own kids, never with students and never with friends.\u00a0 I’ve never been nervous.\u00a0 This felt\u00a0 different.\u00a0 Way different.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I was actually up in the stands watching as Clayton’s class sorted to the top ten, then six, then “Yes!\u00a0 The judge made those 6 walk.”\u00a0 The knot in my stomach now came untied.\u00a0 \u00a0At this point, the stock sorted.\u00a0 Trust me.\u00a0 Winning a class at OYE with a home-raised wether was not the goal.\u00a0 Really cool backup plan–4 sure.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0As the show unfolded, Clayton made the premium sale.\u00a0 And as a bonus, he also raised another premium sale wether.\u00a0 Clayton had 5 wether lambs born last year.\u00a0 2 of those 5 made the sale at OYE.\u00a0 Think about the flocks with hundreds of ewes that didn’t have one.\u00a0 40% is huge!\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 No matter what these two studs accomplished, the best part was how all of the other Shattuck kids acted.\u00a0 All of the sheep showers and their families stayed an extra day in order to watch Clayton show.\u00a0 All of the Shattuck Ag Meckers were hoping and cheering for Eric to get a piece of the big prizes.\u00a0 It was fun!\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Now, add in that Sydney Melton had taken it upon herself to win some scholarship money in the skillathon.\u00a0 As a sophomore, she won the senior division.\u00a0 Dang!!!\u00a0 She needed to be reserve champion.\u00a0 Once you win it, you’re done.\u00a0 No matter, she picked up some scholarship money and is a wicked good kid that is constantly working to make things better.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0And back to 1883.\u00a0 \u00a0If you haven’t watched it, oh well.\u00a0 OYE has turned into a show that if you want to participate, well, you need a guide to get you to the destination.\u00a0 The year is currently 2022 and there is no doubt that if you want to ring a big bell at a major show like OYE, you better have a guide.\u00a0 And even that doesn’t guarantee a thing.\u00a0 I’m just saying that it isn’t for the faint of heart.\u00a0 In 1883, as I stated earlier, they had Tim McGraw and Sam Elliott as guides.\u00a0 And their people drowned, got shot, stabbed, horse thrown, snake bit and shot with a turd covered arrow.\u00a0 Only a few made it to Oregon.\u00a0 And some of them walked with a limp.\u00a0 \u00a0Sam Elliott blew his brains out on the beach in Oregon and Tim McGraw stopped in Yellowstone where he buried his daughter.\u00a0 \u00a0It ain’t for the faint of heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Not every animal nor every showman needs to go to OYE, Houston, San Antontio, etc.\u00a0 On that note, I left some really good ag mech projects at home.\u00a0 I left some really good goats at home.\u00a0 People, these major deals aren’t for the faint of heart.\u00a0 Sometimes, a family is better off heading to Red River than trying to vie for an Easter colored ribbon.\u00a0 Months ahead, a family needs a plan, a BUDGET, goals, work ethic and they dang sure need a trustworthy guide.\u00a0 And even then, you better be prepared to walk away with a limp and hope there was some learning experiences to justify the losses.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 And yet, there is a wicked good story that comes out of OYE.\u00a0 If you have lost some faith in stock shows…. well, I understand.\u00a0 Yet, the story of the grand barrow exhibitor at OYE will restore your hope and love for the game.\u00a0 The cast includes a kid that was dealt a REALLY<\/b> rough hand in life, a wicked bad-ass ag teacher<\/span>, a former student of that ag teacher as a guide, a community and some help from OYE leadership that is just helping to make it all happen.\u00a0 It’s not my story to tell.\u00a0 But if you livestock junkies need a fix, call me.\u00a0 Great, GREAT<\/strong> story!\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0People, have a good one.\u00a0 Have a better tomorrow and here’s to cheers of things getting better, regardless of who you voted for as POTUS.\u00a0 I’m done.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0This one is long and I don’t care.\u00a0 If you don’t want to read it……..don’t.\u00a0 It is that simple.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Tammy and I have watched the 1883 show.\u00a0 It’s good but not always great.\u00a0 In short, it is about a group traveling to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4731"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4731"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4732,"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4731\/revisions\/4732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kellnlivestock.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}