Country music artist and Stillwater native Wyatt Flores returned to Oklahoma State University this week for the annual Big Three Field Days, where he stepped into the judging ring to officiate a livestock judging class and spoke with Oklahoma Farm Report summer intern Presley Strickland. While Flores has attended the event for years, he said serving as a judge was a first—and one he wasn’t expecting.
“To be completely honest, I didn’t see it coming,” Flores said. “I totally forgot that Big Three was going on, and I was just lucky enough that I was in town. I leave out this evening, and I had been invited out to come judge a class. Really, I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it.’ Growing up, you always see everyone do it, and that was my first time getting to, so that was a fun experience.”
The annual Big Three Field Days bring together students from across Oklahoma to compete in livestock judging contests and explore opportunities within the state’s agricultural industry. For Flores, the event also brings back plenty of memories from his own time growing up in Stillwater.
A Favorite Big Three Memory
When asked about his favorite Big Three memory, Flores recalled taking matters into his own hands after one tradition was canceled. “There was one year that they didn’t throw a Big Three dance, so I went ahead and rented out a building out there in Morrison, and I ended up throwing one of the Big Three dances one of my years,” he said. “That was a whole lot of fun. That’s my favorite.”
Encouraging the Next Generation
Raised around livestock, Flores said cattle have always been his favorite species. “Cattle for sure. That’s just what I was raised on,” he said. “Goats are also fun, but man, cattle goes first place in my heart.”
He also encouraged young people interested in agriculture to consider Oklahoma State University and its nationally recognized livestock judging program. “It’s got one of the best programs for livestock judging,” Flores said. “If you’re interested in agriculture or anything in it, I suggest that you at least give this place a chance.”
Although he attended OSU Institute of Technology, Flores said if he had the opportunity to do college over again, “I’d probably come back for animal science.”
Back in the Show Goat Business
Flores also shared that his connection to agriculture extends beyond his music career. Last year, he launched a show goat operation called Top Shelf Genetics, returning to an industry he grew up around. “There actually already is,” Flores said when asked if fans could expect Wyatt Flores show goats. “We do have show goats. We just started up the business last August. It’s called Top Shelf Genetics.”
He added that getting back into the goat business has been especially rewarding. “We raised goats a long time ago, but it had been 15 years for me,” he said. “It’s fun to get back into it and actually really be running it instead of just helping my parents out.”
Music Career Continues to Grow
While agriculture remains close to his heart, Flores said his music career continues to keep him on the road. He is preparing for the release of his new album, Scared of Heights, on July 31 while continuing his nationwide tour. “It’s been absolutely crazy,” Flores said. “July 31 is when Scared of Heights, my new album, comes out. Fixing to hit the road this evening… We’ve just been crazy on the Drive All Night Tour and hitting festivals.”
Despite his busy schedule, Flores said returning home to participate in events like Big Three remains a meaningful way to stay connected to Oklahoma agriculture and inspire the next generation of livestock enthusiasts.
