Friendships and Championships: Sixty-three Years Strong
- Kaylyn Branen
- Oct 10, 2021
- 4 min read
I wrote this piece as a part of my job at the OSU Animal Science Alumni Association for our official publication, The Brand Magazine.
Friendships and Championships: Sixty-three Years Strong
In the lobby of the Residence Inn Stillwater on a warm April Saturday, four friends sit
around a table dressed in ball caps, jeans, and of course OSU gear, reminiscing on their story of friendship and championships.
As they joke with one another, the smiles on their faces never leave and the laughter
never stops. The 1958 Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging Team was more than just friends during their championship reign. They were a family and even now, 63-years later, the special bond between the group has remained just as strong.
Every year during Animal Science Weekend, hundreds of people gather to reunite with
old friends, but for this group in particular, the Animal Science Alumni Association Gala
Reunion marks an important time in their friendship, said Billy Ashe, member of the 1958
judging team. The team members look forward to gathering during this time and plan their spring around the event to make sure they do not miss it, he added.
“The gala has always been a fascinating, fun time and good time to see so many others and keep track of them, like one big family,” said Dale Redeker, member of the 1958 judging team.
Prior to being a part of the livestock judging team, this unique group of friends did not
know each other, said Elvin White, member of the 1958 judging team. During this time, over 60 students competed for the ten coveted spots on the team, White added.
Students took junior and senior judging classes and during the senior class was when
students were selected for the team, said Bill Troub, member of the 1958 judging team.
“I was not friends with a single one of them [before the judging team],” Troub said.
“Being on the judging team together really cultivated our friendship. We had workouts at several different ranches and we traveled together.”
During their time on the team, Ashe said they spent lots of time together between
traveling for contests and weekly practices.
“The judging team worked out almost like a football team,” Ashe said. “All day every
Saturday and sometimes during the week too.”
While the members got to know each other better through spending time with one
another, White said they started becoming better friends by meeting up every year at the gala.
Not only do the team members enjoy reuniting every year, White said their wives have
developed friendships and enjoy shopping together.
Of course with several years of friendship comes several memories with each other, from betting which animals would win livestock shows or purchasing crazy items in the gala auctions, each member had something to share.
“One of my favorite memories is at the gala,” Troub said. “Dale Redeker bought a
merry-go-round horse [in the auction] for $1,200.”
Coached under the legendary Dr. Robert Totusek, the team won the American Royal over Texas Tech by 40 points, but the bond they shared with their coach was greater than any championship they won.
“The first time I ever got acquainted with [Dr. Totusek], he had the judging team over at
his house for ice cream and cake,” Redeker said. “It is one of my favorite memories with the
team.”
Dr. Totusek coached many different teams, but the 1958 team knew their relationship
went deeper than the others, Troub said.
“We had a very special relationship with [Dr. Totusek],” Ashe said. “He coached for
seven years and won nine national championships, but when the time came to go eat, he would always go with us. It became obvious to the other teams over the years that Dr. Totusek and his wife would come with us.”
Dr. Totusek encouraged all of his judging teams to come back each year for the judging team reunion, which is now known as the gala reunion, said Megan Smith, Animal Science Alumni Association Executive Director.
“This team started coming back to the gala because it was expected of them by Dr.
Totusek,'' Smith said. “While he started it, the 1958 team - along with other teams of Dr. Totusek - stuck with it through the years, really helping to build the comradery and success of Animal Science Weekend.”
Not only did their time on the livestock judging team bring them lifelong friends, but the
experience also prepared them for a lifetime of opportunities, said Ashe.
“I can contribute a lot of the success I have had personally to the Oklahoma State animal science experience,” Ashe said. “I would not be where I am today if it was not for it. The [OSU animal and food sciences] department instills the desire to succeed and to carry on the legacy this institution stands for.”
Even for students who do not plan to continue in the agricultural industry after college,
being on the livestock judging team builds character to make students successful, White said.
“You can apply the analytical process [of livestock judging] to anything,” Ashe said.
“You are given a situation and you have to sort through facts and make a call in a short period of time. From a business perspective, it is important to make a call and go with it.”
Being on the livestock judging team undoubtedly contributed to the team members’
successes after college, but so did attending OSU, Troub said.
“Having Oklahoma State University on your résumé means the door [of opportunities]
will fly open and welcome you in,” Troub said.
Above all, Oklahoma State University sets a standard in agriculture, Ashe said.
“Winning is expected, not hoped for here,” Ashe said. “Losing is not in the vocabulary of the people in this department.”
For this reason, the team comes back every year in April to not only celebrate their
friendship, but support the current livestock judging team members, whether it be through
purchasing items in the gala or inspiring students to continue judging, Ashe said.
As long as they can remember, they have attended the gala reunion, Troub said, and it is a tradition they plan to continue until they cannot attend anymore.
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