Cyndi's Two Cents

Educational opportunities at National Western Stock Show

My husband and I took a quick trip to Denver recently where Jim entertained (played guitar and sang) prior to the Simmental breed embryo sale and prior to the national Simmental breed cattle sale held during the National Western Stock Show. In addition to tagging along to his “gigs” I wore my journalist cap and generated a story or two for Brownfield Ag News.

 For anyone who has been to the National Western, you know the thrill of walking through the historic Denver Union Stockyards on a crisp January morning where people from Ohio, North Dakota, Georgia, Alberta (Canada that is) and many other states are promoting their cattle. There are Shorthorns and Longhorns, Gelbviehs and Galloways, Simmentals and Salers, and every other breed imaginable. Some bring cattle to compete in the pen show in “the yards.” Others bring cattle to compete in the arena on “the hill.” Some bring cattle to sell while others bring bulls to promote semen sales.

 During the 16-day run, 15,000 head of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas, alpacas, bison, yak, poultry and rabbits were on the grounds at the National Western Stock Show. The show, which closed its 105th run on January 22, is often referred to as “the granddaddy of them all” when compared to other stock shows.

 People from around the world came as spectators and buyers of cattle, embryos and bull semen. The National Western Stock Show is noted for hosting the world’s only carload and pen cattle show, held in the Denver Union Stockyards.

 Despite the rich history of the show, the opportunity to catch up with many friends who have cattle at the show, and the chance to see some of the best cattle in our breed, it is something else that impresses me most about the National Western Stock Show. It is how almost every aspect of the National Western Stock Show is used as an opportunity to educate those not directly involved in the livestock business.

 At every turn, there is a sign or a banner that tells the story of a particular building, area, or event. The Denver community embraces the National Western. Those who live in the city, who have never set foot on a farm or ranch, come out each year with a sense of ownership for this very non-city event. Over the course of the 16-day show, nearly 20,000 school children from the Denver area will visit and participate in an educational tour.

 I talked with a friend from Illinois who with her husband and 10-year old son brought 3 head to compete in cattle shows on “the hill.” Not only, she explained to me, is this an opportunity for the “city visitors” to get an education. Her son, appalled that someone had run into a neighboring stall to pat a bull’s rump, complained that the person wasn’t very smart. The incident was the perfect opportunity for her to help her son understand how to communicate a positive story about animal agriculture to those who have not been exposed to it.

 My friend told her son that in this situation, he has the opportunity to explain to a visitor that the bull might not intentionally hurt them, but if spooked, an animal weighing in at nearly a ton, could indeed hurt someone.

 If, at every county and state fair and stock show, we would each reach just one consumer unfamiliar with animal agriculture, we could make a difference.