OYE

Being a native Oklahoman, and having lived here my whole life, OYE is special to me. To see where it is now, compared to what it was a short 15 years ago is really cool to see.

I just wanted some thoughts from the board, who all has made it to OYE before? Favorite part about it? Worst experience?

  Watching this show evolve over the years has made me feel proud to have shown there. Loved the mothers slapping their children's calves. Just a lot of thought and hard work by the volunteers goes into making this show nothing short of spectacular.
 
  I showed there some 50 years ago and (kind of) won my first class in the Hereford steer division. Miles McKee was the judge and the taller calves usually did the best. My calf had really good hair and Miles went for him. They had weight breaks then, and I shrunk my calf to get him in the lighter division.  I think there were eighty plus steers in the class. Vanderwork Herefords were stalled next to me and placed second to my calf.  They had truly the best calf by far. Just not as tall but much more thickness. Oklahoma Spring Show (OYE) and all other shows eventually changed the rules with unknown weight breaks.

To Vanderwork Herefords:
To this day I have had a huge guilt complex for shrinking my calf. Your steer was awesome and should have won that class, easily. Please accept my apology.

The first time I showed at OKC was in 1976. I had a light heavyShorthorn steer that weighed 1000lbs. There were 4 classes and we were in class 3. I placed 5th. Back then sale order was after the steer show was over. Every class was lined up thru 5th place and lined up on the little arena in the old horse barn that was next to the colesium. I remember standing there with my steer all afternoon and moving up one place. One of my friends won the light Hereford classand stood there all afternoon and didn’t get in the sale either.

My hat’s off to the guys that took it over and started the OYE. Jimmy Harrel and Bob Funk have been great supporters of young people in Oklahoma and have put together a great crew to run the show. The Grand Drive is talked about by people from other states and is a great event. Every kid that shows livestock should attend this great event. My family is on the 3rd generation to show there. It’s always our goal to try to make the sale but it’s very hard to do.  We have put some animals in the sale and had breed champions in steer and heifer shows.
And heifer shows

I would have shown in my first Oklahoma City spring junior show in 1978, I believe. I did alright with some heifers, never made the sale with a steer ‘til my senior year (1983) when I had reserve Hereford. Between my nieces and nephews, other families I’ve helped, and my own kids, I don’t believe there has been a year since 1978 that I haven’t been involved with one or a dozen steers (and heifers, and a few goats) in this show. We’ve had a few champions and reserves, several class winners and a whole bunch of something less, but most were competitive. A few crashed and burned, too. It’s the nature of the game.

From the standpoint of quality, I haven’t seen them all, but I’ve seen a bunch, and I don’t believe any other junior show can match the sheer depth of quality at OYE. Sure there are lots of great shows and great livestock all across the country, and I’m not saying this to take away from any others,  but the percentage of really good ones, that are dialed in and presented to the hilt at OYE would be tough to top.

It has certainly evolved in to an event that’s always fun and exciting, especially for the exhibitors, but for the spectators too. Every day, all the time there’s something happening - showmanship contests, fitting contests, skill-a-thon... The old fuddy duddy in me kinda misses when the grand drive was just the end of the show, but I know how excited the kids are about the big production it has become. That short ride in that stretch limousine is what every kid there dreams about, and that provides more motivation than you can imagine.

I’m proud to say that the shows current CEO is one of those kids I helped along the way. He hasn’t done it alone, but he’s a very big part of what OYE is now. Folks like Jimmy Harrel and Bob Funk and many others not so recognized, too. Many thanks to them all.

Im all in even though Im not from Oklahoma-My sister is on the faculty of OSU madical school. But I had some of my favorite cattle buddies years ago down there from Binger etc and my buddy Will Lane on here JUST THE BEST PEOPLE AND GREAT CATTLE WITHOUT THE ARROGANCE AND THE REST-I will donate and support when I get a little better financially-OKLAHOMIES are my  favorite bunch along with Kansas and OF COURSE WEST VA O0

Telos said:

  Watching this show evolve over the years has made me feel proud to have shown there. Loved the mothers slapping their children's calves. Just a lot of thought and hard work by the volunteers goes into making this show nothing short of spectacular.
 
  I showed there some 50 years ago and (kind of) won my first class in the Hereford steer division. Miles McKee was the judge and the taller calves usually did the best. My calf had really good hair and Miles went for him. They had weight breaks then, and I shrunk my calf to get him in the lighter division.  I think there were eighty plus steers in the class. Vanderwork Herefords were stalled next to me and placed second to my calf.  They had truly the best calf by far. Just not as tall but much more thickness. Oklahoma Spring Show (OYE) and all other shows eventually changed the rules with unknown weight breaks.

To Vanderwork Herefords:
To this day I have had a huge guilt complex for shrinking my calf. Your steer was awesome and should have won that class, easily. Please accept my apology.

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Telos, I love this story! I have Scotty Vanderwork's cell phone number if would would ever like to give him a call and catch up. They did really well a few years ago with a big herf bull, Scholarship was his name I think.

DLD said:

I’m proud to say that the shows current CEO is one of those kids I helped along the way. He hasn’t done it alone, but he’s a very big part of what OYE is now. Folks like Jimmy Harrel and Bob Funk and many others not so recognized, too. Many thanks to them all.

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Tyler and Beth are some good people. I always enjoyed competing against him in FFA growing up, and we are proud to support him now.