OVERTON, TX  ---  Some college students are extraordinary.  Take the Kilgore College Cattle Show Team for example. 

Arising four consecutive mornings at 4 a.m. to wash and groom seven Angus heifers amidst a 38-degree windchill in preparation for a Saturday morning exhibition probably would not appeal to the run-of-the-mill college student.  Especially the part about early and cold.  Nor would the average college student appreciate the months of immense preparation for a livestock show.

However, wearing insulated coveralls and thermals to protect them from the blowing cold, the Kilgore College Show Team students went literally head-to-head against 18 of the top Angus breeders from a dozen states and two prominent senior colleges at the Southwestern Livestock and Exposition Show at Fort Worth recently. 

Kilgore College, the lone community college, and Texas Tech University and Sam Houston State University, teams primarily composed of upper classmen, were the only educational institutions in the Angus breeding cattle show competition.  But the 10 members of the Kilgore College Cattle Show Team took those challenges head on and never waivered, never blinked.

Although placing is important in show ring competition, Bob Young, Kilgore College agriculture instructor and show team sponsor, felt his students encountered some valuable experiences, which can be evaluated as more important than class placing.

“You’ve got to remember that our students at Kilgore College are primarily freshmen and a few sophomores, and much of  the maturing process continues with each major show,” said Young.  “Our students are still learning, still making some mistakes, but still climbing that hill of greater knowledge that this show program helps teach when it’s done in the proper manner.  There’s a certain amount of responsibility, character, cooperation, sportsmanship, and public relations that the students are exposed to even before you get into the daily feeding, care, grooming, fitting, cleanliness, and showmanship that reflect the animal side. 

“We want the students to be exposed to the positive side of all this so they will develop good habits.  Many of these students will go on to become agricultural science teachers and county extension agents, and, as such, they will be asked to assist in these endeavors by their students and clientele.  Therefore, they need to know the proper way, the right way.  Major shows (such as Fort Worth, Denver, San Antonio, Houston, Kansas City, etc.) happen to be the only effective show ‘classrooms’ or ‘teaching laboratories’ we have available.”

Young said that opportunities available to younger students for showing livestock are often more plentiful in the community college ranks.

“For the most part it is that way,” he noted.  “There’s just more competition at the senior college level. Upper classmen get the first opportunity.  The list for availabilities and interested students doesn’t always make it around to the first- and second-year students.”

The Kilgore College team consists of Courtney Spoon (team captain), Henderson sophomore; Kevin Kirk, Henderson sophomore; Jaci Jaggers, Sulphur Bluff sophomore;  Kristin Clark, Kilgore freshman; Eric Lowry,  John Tyler freshman; Jennifer Smith, Sabine freshman; Heather Swartz, Mount Vernon freshman; Guy Howell, Kilgore freshman; Jill Givens, Sabine freshman; Kirk Clark, Kilgore freshman; Jennifer Jordan, Carlisle freshman; and Trey Smith, Mineola freshman..

The KC Show Team will next focus their attention in preparation for Houston.  They, along with other members of the Kilgore College Agriculture Club will defend their crown as Texas Junior College Agriculture Association (TJCAA) “Chapter of the Year,” their 10^th such award in 13 years, at the TJCAA Convention in Stephenville in April. 

Prospective students can learn more about the Kilgore College Show Team by referring to the website www.kilgorecollegeagfarm.org .

(Article published locally and provided by writer, Ralph Ward Jr.)