6
Small stock show competitors dream big BY RACHAEL CERVENKA Staff Writer rcervenka@opubco.com
The Oklahoma State Fair is known for its big rides, concerts, food, shows and much more, but the little guys also play a big role in making the fair what it is today. Livestock and equine shows are staples of the state event taking place over 11 days at State Fair Park. The shows featuring animals, from beef and dairy, to draft horses, miniature donkeys and rabbits bring people to the city from across the state. Youth and adults and their show animals come to the park with the hope of winning the treasured blue ribbon in their individual competitions. Everyone is a winner at the Pee Wee Beef Showmanship competition. This year is the second year for this event featuring youth competitors, ages 4 to 8. Ri-
A pint-sized exhibitor shows off her entry in the Pee Wee Beef Showmanship competition. PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICHIE OAKES
chie Oakes, livestock show superintendent, created this competition last year to allow the children too young to compete
in 4H or FFA to partake in the fun of showing cattle, he said. Most have older brothers or sisters who compete in other events, so the little ones are familiar with the competition setting, but have never set foot in the ring. All pee wee competitors win a first place blue ribbon and prizes, he said. “Every one of them came out of there, and they thought they were winners and they were,” he said. The pee wee competition brought a good amount of competitors in its first year, and Oakes anticipates around 50 children to compete this year, he said. Marc Pankow, agribusiness senior manager, said many of the small animal and youth events continue to grow each year. For instance, officials are anticipating nearly 600 rabbits to be shown in this year’s rabbit show, she said. Scott Munz, vice president of market-
ing and public relations, said you don’t have to be big to dream big at the Oklahoma State Fair. Fairgoers can choose to see events with large horses or events with small rabbits; the possibilities are endless. “When people come out to the Oklahoma State Fair, they can see the whole gamut; from mighty to mini,” he said. The miniature donkey show and the Pony of the Americas shows are some of the more popular, yet mini attractions, Pankow said. These shows are tailored to youth and adults who don’t want to deal with a big animal. Oakes has been involved with the state fair for 11 years and from his experience, the small-animal and youth-oriented events are just as integral to the fair as all other events, he said. “As far as I am concerned, they are just as important to the state fair as the people who bring the large draft horses in,” he said.