07 Jan NDSU’s Little International set for Feb. 14-15
NDSU’s Saddle and Sirloin Club is scheduled to host the 94th Little International Feb. 14-15.
“The Little International livestock show is the largest student-run event on the NDSU campus, involving more than 300 students,” said Little I assistant manager Kadey Holm, a junior majoring in animal sciences from Ashley, North Dakota. “The show features showmanship classes of beef, dairy, sheep and swine as well as ham curing and public speaking contests.”
In addition, the club will recognize rancher Ray Erbele of Streeter, North Dakota, as the Agriculturist of the Year. The annual award goes to a person who contributed substantially to the agriculture industry of North Dakota.
Erbele has held many leadership and community roles. He was appointed by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to represent North Dakota on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, and has been active in the U.S. Meat Export Federation, North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, North Dakota Beef Commission, National Cattleman’s Association and Federation of State Beef Councils of NCBA.
He also has been involved with the Logan County Water Board and the Logan County Soil Conservation District Board.
Erbele will be recognized at the Hall of Fame Banquet, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 14. A social is planned at 5 p.m. with a meal to follow at the Avalon West Events Center.
Livestock showmanship preliminaries are set to begin Saturday, Feb. 15, at 8 a.m. in NDSU’s Shepperd Arena, and finals are scheduled at 5:30 p.m.
“Audience members of the Little I show will be able to see this year’s theme, ‘Speaking Our Truth,’ in action as club members have put in hours upon hours of hard work to make this year’s event happen,” Holm said. “Attendees will have a fun-filled evening cheering on exhibitors and can participate in the ham curing auction, a 50/50 raffle and the silent auction.”
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