OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – After a year of canceling and rescheduling events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Ag Youth Program announced the 9th Annual All-Indian Livestock show will return to its normal schedule this year.
The event will take place January 28th – 30th at Okfuskee County Fairgrounds, located at 999 E Columbia St. Okemah, OK.
According to MCN Ag Youth Program Manager Billy Haltom, the event was canceled last year due to COVID-19 and then later rescheduled to August.
After purchasing over 30 buckles, the program decided to hold the event for 2021.
Haltom claimed the event has taken place the last weekend January of each year since its start which was around the time he started working for the program.
“It’s hard to believe we are getting close to doing it for double digit years,” Haltom said. “It’s by far the biggest activity that we do through the course of the year.”
The Livestock Show is open to all Muscogee (Creek) citizens 18 years and under youth residing in Oklahoma and all 18 and under youth enrolled in a federally recognized tribe living within the Muscogee Reservation boundaries.
Weigh ins will start Friday night at 5 p.m. for the sheep and goats and Saturday will lead with swine at 9 a.m.
Haltom said the hog show portion has grown so large that the whole Saturday is dedicated to it, leaving the steer and heifer shows on Sunday.
“We show two different varieties of swine,” he said. “We have a market hog show just for those animals that will be used to produce food or enter the food chain.”
“Also, we have a breeding gilt show that judges the female swine that judges their characteristics of becoming a mother or a sow in the future or in other words an animal that’s going to reproduce offspring.”
Pre-entry is required to receive a free t-shirt by Jan. 14. Entry fees are to be paid upon entry at the event location.
“I am proud to say that we are a hundred percent payback at our livestock show,” Haltom said. “We are not trying to make any money. We are there to provide an opportunity and service to young people.”
He said that first, second and third places of each category will be rewarded with $250, $200, and $100 along with other smaller cash prize opportunities as well.
The MCN Ag Youth Program aids 4-H and FFA students as well as county and local systems across the reservation.
For more information, contact Billy Haltom at: 918-732-7628.
