Media Tip Sheet: Colorado State University and the National Western Stock Show

Contact for media
Jennifer Dimas
(970) 491-1543
Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu

Note to Reporters: The following is a collection of Colorado State University events, experts, and resources related to the 2019 National Western Stock Show. The Stock Show runs Jan. 12-28 at the National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver.

The CSU Campus at the National Western Center
While this year’s National Western Stock Show takes place in its traditional North Denver location, there are exciting changes in the works, through a partnership with the City and County of Denver, Colorado State University, Western Stock Show Association, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and History Colorado. The National Western Center will reimagine the National Western Complex and Denver Coliseum into an active year-round destination serving the local community and lead, inspire, create, and entertain in pursuit of global food solutions.

The CSU Campus at the National Western Center is scheduled to break ground in 2020 and open in 2021 – providing a centralized statewide research hub tackling the most pressing global issues and an educational space open to all. The CSU presence at the National Western Center will focus on health, water, energy, food, and the environment in three key facilities:

  • CSU Water Building
  • CSU Animal Health Complex
  • CSU Center for Food and Agriculture

Programming and community opportunities at the CSU NWC Campus will include:

  • K-12 and family educational opportunities
  • Continuing education and Master’s programs
  • Workforce development
  • Summer camps for kids
  • Teacher training
  • Community and industry kitchen
  • Research in action

Learn more at nwc.colostate.edu/

International Livestock Forum: Future of Livestock and Meat Production
In conjunction with the National Western Stock Show, the CSU Department of Animal Sciences will be hosting the 2019 International Livestock Forum on Jan. 11-12 on the CSU campus in Fort Collins. The focus for this year’s program is “Innovation and Technology: The Future of Livestock and Meat Production;” it includes such speakers as Jordan Levi (Five Rivers Cattle Feeding); Randy Blach (Cattle Fax); Animal Sciences Professors Temple Grandin and Gary Smith; Lee Leachman of Leachman Cattle Co.; and representatives from Zoetis, Cargill, the U.S. Trade Representative, the Foreign Agricultural Service, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the U.S. Meat Export Federation, among others. In addition, the ILF program hosts 20 student fellows who were chosen from over 140 applicants from 16 countries and more than 45 universities. The student fellows represent the future of agriculture and livestock production worldwide.

Seedstock Merchandising Team
CSU’s Seedstock Merchandising Team will spend eight days at the National Western Stock Show, Jan. 12-19. Their main activity will be to exhibit cattle in the Hereford Pen Show on Friday, Jan. 18, beginning at 9:30 a.m., and the Angus Pen Show on Saturday, Jan. 19, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the yards. At noon on Thursday, Jan. 17, the team will also be offering a complimentary beef sausage lunch for other exhibitors, past bull buyers, beef industry representatives, alumni, students and friends. The team will spend the rest of their time caring for, preparing and showcasing their cattle, as well as representing CSU as day-hosts on Monday, Jan. 14, at the CSU trade show booth on the second floor of the Hall of Education. Finally, the students will gain additional experience and networking opportunities by working alongside other seedstock producers to provide logistical support to three large cattle sales held during the stock show.

CSU’s Ag Adventure at the Stock Show
CSU’s Ag Adventure, next to the CSU booth on the third floor of the Hall of Education, is an interactive exhibit, created by students in the College of Agricultural Sciences along with several Colorado commodity groups, that teaches children about where their food comes from. The exhibit, which attracts more than 70,000 visitors each year, includes information from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Farm Bureau, and commodity groups such as beef, dairy, egg, potato, corn, wheat and honey producers. Visitors interested in learning how we are all “agriconnected” can interact with the mobile museum display from 9 a.m. through close throughout the entire run of the National Western Stock Show.

4-H Day at the Stock Show, Jan. 18
Friday, Jan. 18, has been designated as 4-H Day at the National Western Stock Show. From 9 a.m. until the afternoon rodeo performance, the 15-member State 4-H Officer Team and State 4-H staff are available at the CSU booth on the third floor of the Hall of Education to answer questions about 4-H and hand out free giveaways, including clover tattoos.

CSU Extension/4-H Agents offer agricultural education tours
Colorado State University Extension/4-H agents from Adams, Jefferson, Broomfield, Denver, Clear Creek, Morgan, Arapahoe, Douglas, Boulder and Weld counties partner with the National Western Stock show to provide thousands of school-aged children from across Colorado the opportunity to learn more about agriculture. During school hours on weekdays, students can see livestock, barns, commercial and commodity exhibits, and CSU’s Ag Adventures through self-guided tours, while 4-H agents are on hand to answer questions about the attractions and about 4-H opportunities in Colorado.

CSU Day at the Stock Show, Jan. 19
Saturday, Jan. 19, is when the National Western Stock Show celebrates all things CSU. Special events include the 11 a.m. Pro Rodeo (special seating in the CSU section), all-day grounds admission and trade show access to more than 900 vendors. And, of course, you get to see the wildly popular Frontier Airlines Mutton Bustin’ event and the baby animals exhibit. While you’re there, make sure you stop by Ag Adventure, an interactive exhibit created by several Colorado commodity groups and CSU agricultural sciences students, on the second floor of the Hall of Education. The fun, engaging activities and exhibits teach children about how food is produced. After that, visit the CSU Alumni Association booth on the third floor to get your picture taken with CAM the Ram. Discounted tickets ($18 to $23) are available by using the promo code NWSSCSU.

Testing cattle for high-altitude disease
Dr. Tim Holt, an associate professor of livestock medicine at Colorado State University, is the world’s leading expert on a form of cardiopulmonary disease that afflicts cattle at high altitudes. He spends 11 months a year touring the West, with stops at 150 ranches in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, to test cattle for indications of disease. Through the years, he has tested more than 360,000 cattle. This year, the Beef Improvement Federation honored Holt with the Pioneer Award, an award that recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the improvement of beef cattle. Dr. Holt has been attending the National Western Stock Show since he was 6 years old and will be in attendance again this year. More information on Dr. Holt’s research is at magazine.csusystem.edu/2018/12/04/heart-doc-at-high-altitude/

Colorado water and agriculture
The Water in the West Symposium is an offering of the future CSU Campus at the National Western Center. The Symposium sold out in its first year in 2018, with more than 400 attendees, and included speakers such as U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet; a conversation between current Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue and former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack; and representatives from business, agriculture, recreation, and conservation organizations and industries. The Symposium is a convening space for all stakeholders with an interest in water to help move forward the conversation about water challenges around the globe. More information about the Symposium and CSU’s plans around water research at the future CSU Campus at the National Western Center is available at nwc.colostate.edu.

Temple Grandin Equine Center at the National Western Center
The Temple Grandin Equine Center is currently being built on the CSU Fort Collins campus, and will establish a second location at the future National Western Center in Denver. CSU faculty members and graduate students at both Temple Grandin Equine Centers will conduct research in equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT), which provide physical and cognitive benefits to individuals with a broad range of disabilities. Programming is underway at a temporary location at the existing National Western Complex, delivering EAAT to local youth and Denver area residents.

For more information, contact templegrandinequinecenter@colostate.edu.