The Little International Showmanship Contest had it’s 60th year show hosted on WTAMU’s Nance Ranch on Oct. 11. The event had a record number of 152 freshmen participants as well as 17 student advisers. The International livestock competition has been around since it was developed in Chicago in 1902 and has been growing strong ever since. This version of the International Showmanship Contest at WT was a unique opportunity for students to gain experience in showmanship.
“I’ve had a lot of help from my teachers and learned from my friends,” Cooper O’rein, a freshman Animal Science and Nutrition major, said. “I’ve been showing for quite some time since I was about 10 or 12. I never thought I would show again until I got to the college level.”To help prepare for this event, the students played “Quiz Bowl” to sharpen their knowledge of showmanship. Teams of five answered questions from a program called “Quality Counts.” This program teaches young people the importance of ethical behavior in caring for exhibition animals and showing good character. The game is along the lines of Jeopardy, using buzzers when the team was ready to answer a question.
“We would come out to Nance Ranch and practice about every other day and work with the students for two to three hours,” Jay Brandon, a senior Agriculture Education major and student advisor, said. “Some students have never shown before while the other students, who have had the experience, were a great resource to teach the ones without the experience.”
Not only did the students participating in the competition learn from the event, but the student advisers learned as well.
“Agriculture Education majors were able to teach students about the animals. It is a great experience for us on how to teach in the real world,” Brandon said. “This event helps the freshman meet new people and to get them out of their comfort zones.”
“It’s been tons of fun,” Jonny Maciel, a senior Agriculture Education major and student advisor, said. “It has been a teaching experience to me in the long run when I become an Agriculture teacher. I’ve got a great group of kids and it’s been a great experience. It’s great for them to build relationships with each other and older classmates.”
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