Karl Kozel has been around the Pottawatomie County Junior Livestock Show since its inception in 1937. In 1941, he showed the grand champion steer.
Jim White has been associated with the show many years, too, serving as clerk at the annual premium sale for more than 40 years, following in the footsteps of his father Glen White, who preceded him doing that job.
Both of these gentlemen are longtime supporters of the show and premium auction and are the 2010 honorees of the PCJLS. Deservingly, they were recognized during the annual pig roast and trophy auction earlier this week.
Just as they were nurtured as they were growing up, the real reason for the annual pig roast and trophy auction is the hundreds of 4-H and FFA kids who help with the event which raises money for the trophies, jackets and premium money many of them will share and enjoy.
I caught up with several of those kids during the trophy auction and pig roast and all were excited to be a part of it. Whitney Dockery is a 17-year-old junior at Tecumseh High School and a member of the Tecumseh FFA and 4-H.
“This means our county really steps up and really supports our youth. It shows how great our supporters are,” she said.
Dockery, who is also a 4-H state ambassador and has been since she was 14, will show a pig during the Junior Livestock Show, which is scheduled for March 2-5 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center. She said her three sisters also will exhibit pigs at the show next month.
This week’s pig roast and trophy auction were held inside the conference center at the Expo for the second consecutive year. The little nicer and cozier setting helped draw more than 400 people.
“The trophy auction had another record-breaking year. It raised $26,100. The silent auction brought in $2,115 while the live raised $23,850 and tickets at the door added another $135. A little over 400 people came to enjoy the pig roast event,” said Bo Chavez, administrative assistant of the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce.
Marissa Lester, 14, and Ashley Ware, 15, are both members of the Bethel FFA chapter who helped with the event. Lester, a freshman, said “I get to help the people who help us.”
And Ware added, “it helps us in so many ways with our activities.”
Lester expects to exhibit a Shorthorn heifer and Ware will show goats. Both are freshmen at Bethel High School.
Lindsey Burris, Chesley Steward and Kendra Steward are all members of the Dale FFA and Kylee Burris and Rylee Steward are members of the Dale 4-H and all were assisting.
“I show pigs and cows and this helps if we win trophies and all,” said Lindsey, who is a 16-year-old junior. This is her third year to help, but it was the initial time for Chesley, 15, a freshman to be there. “This is a new experience for me,” she said, mentioning she also shows pigs and cows.
It was the second time for Kendra to help and she also shows cows and pigs. But she pointed out “this just helps to give back to the people who support us and we get to help by serving them.”
Kylee Burris is Lindsey’s younger sister, and a sixth grader. She says she enjoys it because of the leadership and relationships with the buyers and sponsors.
Rylee, who is the younger sister to Chesley and Kendra, mentioned “it helps give thanks to those who support and pay the premiums for our animals.”
Both Rylee and Kylee, like their older siblings, show pigs and cows.
Kane Ozment was last year’s junior showmanship winner in the beef division of the show. An eighth grader at Tecumseh Middle School, and member of the Tecumseh FFA, he said “it pays for our trophies and for the things we win.” He said he “likes the way people help us and this way we can do something for them.”
One never knows what time might bring. But many years from now possibly one or more of these kids I caught up with could follow in the footsteps of Karl Kozel and Jim White. They have some mighty big shoes to fill, though.
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Karl Kozel has been around the Pottawatomie County Junior Livestock Show since its inception in 1937. In 1941, he showed the grand champion steer.
Jim White has been associated with the show many years, too, serving as clerk at the annual premium sale for more than 40 years, following in the footsteps of his father Glen White, who preceded him doing that job.
Both of these gentlemen are longtime supporters of the show and premium auction and are the 2010 honorees of the PCJLS. Deservingly, they were recognized during the annual pig roast and trophy auction earlier this week.
Just as they were nurtured as they were growing up, the real reason for the annual pig roast and trophy auction is the hundreds of 4-H and FFA kids who help with the event which raises money for the trophies, jackets and premium money many of them will share and enjoy.
I caught up with several of those kids during the trophy auction and pig roast and all were excited to be a part of it. Whitney Dockery is a 17-year-old junior at Tecumseh High School and a member of the Tecumseh FFA and 4-H.
“This means our county really steps up and really supports our youth. It shows how great our supporters are,” she said.
Dockery, who is also a 4-H state ambassador and has been since she was 14, will show a pig during the Junior Livestock Show, which is scheduled for March 2-5 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center. She said her three sisters also will exhibit pigs at the show next month.
This week’s pig roast and trophy auction were held inside the conference center at the Expo for the second consecutive year. The little nicer and cozier setting helped draw more than 400 people.
“The trophy auction had another record-breaking year. It raised $26,100. The silent auction brought in $2,115 while the live raised $23,850 and tickets at the door added another $135. A little over 400 people came to enjoy the pig roast event,” said Bo Chavez, administrative assistant of the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce.
Marissa Lester, 14, and Ashley Ware, 15, are both members of the Bethel FFA chapter who helped with the event. Lester, a freshman, said “I get to help the people who help us.”
And Ware added, “it helps us in so many ways with our activities.”
Lester expects to exhibit a Shorthorn heifer and Ware will show goats. Both are freshmen at Bethel High School.
Lindsey Burris, Chesley Steward and Kendra Steward are all members of the Dale FFA and Kylee Burris and Rylee Steward are members of the Dale 4-H and all were assisting.
“I show pigs and cows and this helps if we win trophies and all,” said Lindsey, who is a 16-year-old junior. This is her third year to help, but it was the initial time for Chesley, 15, a freshman to be there. “This is a new experience for me,” she said, mentioning she also shows pigs and cows.
It was the second time for Kendra to help and she also shows cows and pigs. But she pointed out “this just helps to give back to the people who support us and we get to help by serving them.”
Kylee Burris is Lindsey’s younger sister, and a sixth grader. She says she enjoys it because of the leadership and relationships with the buyers and sponsors.
Rylee, who is the younger sister to Chesley and Kendra, mentioned “it helps give thanks to those who support and pay the premiums for our animals.”
Both Rylee and Kylee, like their older siblings, show pigs and cows.
Kane Ozment was last year’s junior showmanship winner in the beef division of the show. An eighth grader at Tecumseh Middle School, and member of the Tecumseh FFA, he said “it pays for our trophies and for the things we win.” He said he “likes the way people help us and this way we can do something for them.”
One never knows what time might bring. But many years from now possibly one or more of these kids I caught up with could follow in the footsteps of Karl Kozel and Jim White. They have some mighty big shoes to fill, though.
