Farm & Ranch
Rejuvenating a county’s tradition: Wichita County Mounted Patrol Arena
By staff writer Jessica Bartel
The smell of dirt and livestock, the bright lights of an arena and sound of a large crowd on a Saturday night resonates with so many rodeo competitors and rodeo fans. The Wichita County Mounted Patrol Arena was the stage for many large performances such as the Red River PRCA rodeo and the Ranch Round-Up. Present Wichita County Mounted Patrol President Mike Kephart said, “I remember the day when this place was it! It was a big deal! Cars would be everywhere. People would park all the way to the Wichita River bridge.”
The arena was organized and built by a committee in 1957. Its top contributors were Cletus Shank and Dr. Ted Alexander. Alexander and a group of 15 horse lovers met in the Wichita County Courthouse and organized a riding club named the Wichita County Sheriff’s Patrol. Later, in 1967, the Sheriff’s Patrol changed their name to Wichita County Mounted Patrol.
On March 23, 1958, the first charter was written and the Patrol was incorporated as a non-profit and charitable organization. The committee combined to preserve the western heritage and bring top competitors and rodeo athletes to Wichita County. To read more pick up the April 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.
Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Tressa Lawrence
Babies are tucked away in every nook and cranny. Many ranchers across Wyoming have baby animals popping up all over this time of year.
By Lindsey Monk
Another load of grain in to keep feeding the calves until the green grass can really start popping.
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