Little I enters 80th year at university
An 80-year tradition continues this spring with Saddle and Sirloin’s Little International, set for Friday and Saturday at NDSU.
Little I, as it is more commonly known, got its start in 1923, when the namesake of Shepperd Arena, J.H. Shepperd, saw a similar but larger competition in Chicago. Shepperd decided NDSU should have the same type of competition. The Saddle and Sirloin Club has organized the event ever since.
Ryan Hauck, assistant manager of Little I, is in part responsible for making sure the event goes off without a hitch. He helps oversee more than 200 participants and works with 28 organizations to make Little I a reality.
It takes many contributors to have a successful Little International. The majority of the funding for this event comes from alumni, but other sources include businesses and area farmers and ranchers, Hauck said.
The first day of the two-day event brings in local 4-H Club and FFA members to showcase their ability to judge beef cattle, sheep, swine and crops. Also, the 4-H Club and FFA members can partake in a competition involving agricultural sales. Each person entering the competition has seven and one-half minutes to “sell” an agricultural product to a panel of judges.
On the first day of Little I, college students have the chance to show their animals in competition for the Overall Showman award.
The person who wins the Overall Showman award must first win the competition for their species, and then must show each species in a round-robin competition.
The winner receives a belt buckle, jacket and cash prize.
Another event taking place at Little I is the Lamb Lead, in which participants model various wool ensembles.
“ It’s a wool fashion show,” Hauck said.
The second day of the event is more of a show than a competition. Sitting in the arena, the thundering hoof beats of Clydesdale horses can be heard as a stagecoach roars in from outside. The Saturday night show culminates in a “Dance in the Chips,” featuring the band Subzero.
“ All the hype and the energy are saved for the show,” Hauck said.
People wanting to watch the show or attend the competition need not be in agriculture.
Hauck said most people in the crowd have competed in Little International at one point in life, and it is exciting for them to watch their children and grandchildren do the same thing.
“ Parents, sponsors and alumni come to watch the legacy live on,” Hauck said.
Most of the events take place Friday and Saturday in Shepperd Arena.