In an effort to Recruit more young folks to the Livestock world, the Oklahoma Pork Council helped launch the first annual “Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby.”
Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays talked with the Executive Director of OkPork Kylee Deniz about the concept that became reality on Monday in the main swine show ring that is the hoped for destination for every 4-H and FFA member showing gilts or barrows at OYE- they all want to make it “up the hill.” Listen to Ron and Kylee in the Listen Bar above.
Alex Brooks of Tipton FFA took the Champion Spot, with Charley Nix of Carnegie FFA with the Reserve. The Bronze award went to Kensli Shaffer of the Laverne FFA Chapter.
According to Kylee Deniz with OkPork, students held a ‘draft day’ event at OSU where the students were able to learn more about feeding, training and biosecurity in addition to selecting their hogs from the available OSU Swine Farm options.
Deniz says that the OkPork board of directors committed funds to pay for the pigs purchased in the draft from the OSU Swine Farm.
This months-long experience creates a life-changing opportunity for 4-H and FFA students who would not otherwise have the chance to raise, train or show livestock. The Pork Partners Derby program will culminate next spring at the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) with a specialty swine show specifically for the Derby students and their pigs.
A total of 45 students from 32 counties were nominated into the program by their local 4-H or FFA advisors who pledged hands-on assistance over the next five months as the first-time livestock exhibitors work to properly raise their selected animals. The result- forty of them showed their pigs in the OYE pig Derby.
Deniz hopes to provide some additional education about the pork industry in Oklahoma to the Derby students that are showing at the OYE this week- and that plans are in the works for a second Derby in 2025.
Click here to learn more about the “Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby” program!
