(LEX 18) — Families attended the "Strive for the Drive" event at Morehead State on Saturday, expecting to learn essential tips for livestock shows, such as how to raise, feed, and present livestock to judges.
Joe Farley, an employee at Hinton Mills, has been in the agriculture industry for 20 years and knows firsthand that what visitors learn today will stick with them for years to come.
"It gives them a sense of responsibility and keeps them engaged from the time they are little all the way up to their teen years," Farley said.
Randy Smallwood, the father of Erin Smallwood, who was also in attendance, knows that these events are not just helpful for learning how to prepare for livestock shows but also what can set contestants apart.
"It's always good to hear the vets and people that show and judge, tells us what they are looking for, gives them information that we didn't have, to see them grow as a person. You feel proud if they place and if they don't, it's still all about the experience," Smallwood said.
This event was not just for the children; parents like Randy even picked up a few things. "I'm learning. I graduated from Morehead, I work with USDA, I think I know a lot, but you can always learn more," Smallwood added.
At the end of the day, Farley concluded by stressing the importance of learning agriculture saying, "We all like to eat, and we can't get by without it."
