The National Western Stock Show kicked off its 119th year last weekend with a record opening day, welcoming the world to Denver for 16 days of livestock, entertainment, exhibits, and a full-throttle celebration of American agriculture. Even with the cold temperatures outside, there’s no warmer place to be in January than at the National Western Center for this greatest of Colorado traditions.
Also last weekend, we honored the second anniversary of CSU Spur being fully open at the NWC. Our three Spur buildings – Hydro, Terra, and Vida – are where you’ll find hands-on learning, fun and interactive programs for all ages, and a close-up focus on food, water, and health. The Spur buildings are open every day during the Stock Show, and there’s no charge for admission. And of course, as a partner with the National Western Stock Show since 1906, CSU has a big presence at the entire event … check out a full overview of where you’ll find us, including CSU Day on Saturday, Jan. 18.
CSU’s connection to the Stock Show runs deep, for a lot of reasons. As the state’s agricultural university, it’s our best opportunity each year to remind people where their food comes from – and who makes it happen. As people stroll past exhibits and demonstrations, they’re reminded, even subconsciously, that the BBQ they’re enjoying was once on the hoof and that there are people who work hard often in not-so-wonderful conditions to raise these animals, care for them, steward the land they graze, and make sure America has a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply.
The Stock Show also is a true bridge across what’s often described as the “urban-rural divide” – the persistent challenge of bringing rural and urban communities together around common interests, despite the often distinct cultural, economic, and environmental differences among us. There’s not a lot new here, to my mind. I remember, as a “bus kid,” trading my mom’s homemade lunch box meal for a “city kid’s” “fish sticks” (or whatever those were; I’m not sure why that seemed like a good trade, looking back on it … I guess the grass is always greener…?). And later on, I’d have given at least an arm, if not a leg, to drive something other than our yellow F350 farm truck with the red stock rack to high school. That truck looks different to me now, and I wish I could have told 16-year-old Tony that was coming … but then, there’s a lot I’d say to that young man. I digress. During these 16 days, in the heart of our state’s largest city, rural industries and communities are in the spotlight – but we’re all part of the celebration. For kids from rural communities, it’s a chance to see more of the state and what it has to offer – the Stock Show crowds may far outnumber the entire population of some of their hometowns! For kids from urban areas, it’s a chance to learn – often for the first time – about cows, horses, and the Western way of life.
If you’ve followed this newsletter for a while, you’ve heard me talk about my own upbringing on a farm in the rural Midwest – and about the influence of the 4-H program on my life and career. As a land-grant university, CSU was created by President Lincoln to provide research and education to the sons and daughters of working families – people like me. And every year at this time, I’m reminded that students from smaller, rural areas around our state – students much like me at that age – can struggle to see themselves at their own state university in a larger, more suburban sector of the state. Similarly, I think, we know that in today’s world, it can be hard for someone who’s never left their Denver neighborhood to see themselves on a college campus that seems far from home. That’s another reason Spur is so important: it introduces kids to the idea of “college,” and under new plans developed by President Parsons’ team in Fort Collins, Spur now can serve as a starting place for new college students as part of a transition to college life. Whatever the pathway, when we come together at the Stock Show, it’s a chance to break down misconceptions and perceived obstacles that sometimes divide us, to support the strength and resilience of all our communities, and expose young people to the wide range of learning and career opportunities that are available to them.
For all these reasons, I couldn’t be prouder that CSU is a big part of the heartbeat of the National Western, and we look forward to seeing you there between now and Jan. 26. In that spirit, I’m pleased to share this special overview of some of the ways CSU faculty, staff, students, and alumni continue to connect with and support rural Colorado.
– tony
Tony Frank, Chancellor
CSU System
This message was included in Chancellor Frank’s November newsletter. Subscribe to the Chancellor’s monthly letter.