As they gear up for the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE), the organization’s president, Tyler Norvell took time out of his busy schedule to tell Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays all about the big event slated for March 10 – 21, 2025, at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.
This year’s event will be the 110th annual Spring Livestock Show, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Norvell said, “It has gotten bigger, maybe not in the number of animals that show up, they have held steady over the last couple of years, but where we have gotten bigger is the Skill-a-thon, where any kid can come and take a test for free and compete for over $15,000 worth of scholarships.”
The Ag Mechanics Contest exploded from 50 entries in 2020 to 350 entries this year. “We don’t want financial resources to be a reason a kid doesn’t come and be a part of this event,” Norvell insisted. “There is something for everybody, no matter what your situation is. I think we have accomplished that now, but we are going to look for more ways to give more opportunities.”
With all of the exciting things going on at OYE, the bittersweet undertone is the fact that 2025 will be its last year in the original Jim Norick Arena and its 60th year in “The Big House.”
Ron and Tyler talk about the Big House, the growth of the world’s largest Junior Livestock Show- now the OYE, the sponsors who support the OYE, the volunteers who help make the show a success and what may be ahead for the OYE. Click on the audio to hear their full conversation.
