Youth News
OYE Market Barrow Judge Mark Hoge Speaks to the Educational Benefits of the Show Ring
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 11:42:37 CDT
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays had the chance to speak with this year's market barrow judge, Mark Hoge, during the 2018 Oklahoma Youth Expo this past week. Hoge has judged the show before and insists that each time he has come back - the quality of the show, its participants and the animals continue to improve. He offered his perspective as a judge on what livestock shows mean to him and to those that participate in them. Listen to their full discussion recorded ringside during the 2018 OYE market barrow show.
"What we've seen this year is a combination of many things going together to make a successful project," Hoge said. "We have ag teachers, parents and students, selecting projects - flawlessly managing their projects, preparing them for the OYE and what we've seen the last three days is a culmination of all that cohesive work and effort coming together in a grand finale. There's been so many good pigs, capably shown by tremendous young people. It's almost hard to comprehend if you've never seen it before."
Hoge says what he loves most about livestock shows and the work behind the scenes that goes into each event, is that ultimately, the students are getting a hands-on education in agriculture. He believes the skills and life lessons learned and demonstrated at shows and in preparation for them equip students with practical knowledge that can be applied later in their professional lives.
"What I love most is we're teaching our young people to be production livestock producers that will supply animal protein for Americans," he said. "And, I think the youth show ring is a great way to develop agricultural advocates. We educate our young people so that they can go and talk with their school friends that aren't from an ag background - that we do raise livestock very appropriately, very humanely for their consumption."
Growing up and still to this day, Hoge says that production agriculture has been one of the biggest influences in his life. He and his wife have made sure their three children spend time in the barn each day with them and as a family, the Hoges try to pass on their knowledge of agriculture to the next generation. He says livestock shows are a great way to spend time as a family and says youth events like OYE across the country are strong and vibrant.
Our Coverage of the 2018 Oklahoma Youth Expo is once again a service of ITC Great Plains, Your Energy Superhighway- learn more about this high voltage, transmission only utility and their commitment to the communities they serve which is the cornerstone of their business-click here for their website.
Reports will be heard daily on great radio stations that cover Oklahoma and that are a part of the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network- on the internet- our reports of the 2018 OYE can be found on the Blue Green Gazette page- available here. We will be adding pictures daily to our official 2018 OYE Album of Photos on FLICKR, found here.
For more information about the Oklahoma Youth Expo, click here for the home page of the OYE website.
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