During the month of April, the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and Oklahoma Farm Report are spotlighting the 19 Area Stars of Oklahoma FFA, who are among the highest achievers in the organization.
The stars come from the five areas in four categories – Star in Ag Placement, Star in Agriscience, Star in Agribusiness, and Star in Agricultural Production.
This week, we spotlight the five area stars in Ag Placement in 2025.
One Star Finalist featured in the coming days from each of the categories will be named the State Star Award Winner during the 99th Oklahoma State FFA Convention, which will take place on May 6th and 7th in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
This week, our coverage of the 2025 Oklahoma FFA Star Award Finalists continues with Ag Placement competitor Kyriana Beard of the Stillwater FFA chapter representing the Central Area.
“I have had a wide variety of livestock and equine placements, and they’ve all been highly interconnected,” Beard explained. “I’ve gone from one to the next because of the previous one.”
Beginning in eighth grade, Beard took an unpaid volunteer position to learn about swine management at Dowdy Livestock, which raises a niche breed of hogs from Portugal. At the time, she was also working at Noble Road Equestrian Center for her performance horse trainer. This led to her Total Equine Services Placement, during which she began riding five to eight horses per day. Her final ag placement is at Rocking E Boarding and Veterinary Services, where her boarding and equine husbandry tasks have continued.
“We have two barns with thirty total horses,” she explained. “I work for two equine veterinarians and complete equine rehabilitation tasks for them.”
She witnessed the opportunities and skills gained by her cousin and uncle through FFA, and since eighth grade has poured herself into the organization. “I have always had a passion for equine, not as much swine, but I did get the opportunity to get into it in the eighth grade, and I really found it super interesting because I’m now hoping to be a mixed animal veterinarian,” she shared. “I want to serve a rural area with different types of farmers, and I also want to have equine specialties as well. Being able to see that side of the industry was very unique, but my passion for all of this has truly been centered around my love for animals.”
Beard has been accepted to Oklahoma State University to pursue an Animal Science Pre-Veterinarian degree, after which she will apply to vet school.
Hear KC’s full conversation with Kyriana Beard by clicking on the Listen Bar above.
Your coverage of the 2025 Oklahoma FFA Convention is sponsored by Hilliary Communications, who deliver the latest cutting-edge communications services supporting tens of thousands of customers across 22 counties throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and Iowa. The company offers internet, voice, and HilliaryTV. Hilliary Communications continuously researches the marketplace for innovations and strives to improve underserved areas, offering services that exceed customer expectations. Click here to learn more about Hilliary Communications.
For more information about the 99th Oklahoma State FFA Convention, click here.
