Show Kids, Newcomers Display Hearts of Champions

Sometimes peer pressure isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes the ideas kids share make changes for the better.

That’s the case with the Blaine County/Watonga local stock show held Feb. 12. at the Blaine County Fairgrounds.

Watonga sophomore Dayson Cash had seen, heard and read about FFA and 4-H members reaching out to special education students and assisting them with learning to show livestock. He thought it would be a good program to bring to Watonga.

“I have a niece with cerebral palsy and we let her come out and show. She really enjoyed it. We thought there might be other students that might enjoy it as well, but we didn’t know how to get to them,” Cash said as he held the lead on a patient heifer, waiting his turn in the showmanship class.

“So we reached out to the special ed program. Fourteen signed up.”

Of those 14, two had conflicts and were unable to show. However, the remainder were set to come out and learn the ropes.

The program works like this: The special education students are mentored by a show kid. They may choose from from sheep, goats or pigs to show. They get to meet their animal and if there is any apprehension, they can change to another specie or animal.

The owner, a show kid, then helps them learn how to lead, turn and position the animal.

“We give them pointers. It is a different experience for the new kids, but maybe they’ll want to stay with it or want to do it again,” Cash said. “We’re calling it the Ring of Champions.”

Although his showmanship class was being called, Cash was forthcoming about who gained more from the experience, the new kids or the old hands, some who had many years of showing under their trophy belt buckle.

He said it was a toss-up on who got more from the collaboration, but as he entered the ring, his mother, Miranda Cash, said “I know that the show kids are all really excited about it.”

Then, in true show-mom fashion, she left the conversation to watch her child show from the barn wings.

But it seems that Cash and the other mentors have learned more than responsibility, showmanship and sportsmanship. They have learned to exhibit their values in a tangible way.