Shenolds recognized for years of service during the Payne County Jr. Livestock Show

Mar. 25—The Shenolds and the Payne County Free Fair are practically synonymous — and have been for nearly 46 years.

George Shenold, 76, and his wife, Jacklyn Shenold, 74, have worked with Payne County livestock shows for decades. George also served on the Payne County Fair Board for 24 years, and was instrumental in helping to improve the Expo Center facilities.

They were recognized for their service March 5 during the Payne County Jr. Livestock Show at the Payne County Expo Center.

George and Jacklyn told the News Press that they were shocked to be recognized in the middle of the show. When their son, Scott Shenold, paused while moderating the show, they were annoyed, at first.

"I was fixin' to get on him big time," George said. "... I had kids lined up back there to get ready to go in the ring ... I said, 'We need to get this show rollin'.'"

Others pulled Jacklyn off the podium, and she said, "What have I done wrong?"

But when they finally noticed the crowd that had slowly slipped into the building, they knew something was up.

"I said, 'Oh, my gosh, they have pulled one on me,'" George said.

The Shenolds were presented with a plaque that proclaimed March 5 as the "Jacklyn and George Shenold Day." A new award and trophy will also be presented every year in honor of the Shenolds.

Oklahoma State University football coach Mike Gundy, longtime friend of the Shenolds, was also in attendance.

The Shenolds have always been around livestock shows.

George, raised on the farm his father bought in 1946, attended OSU to study animal science. Jacklyn was raised on a cattle ranch in Duncan, and came to OSU to study home economics.

The two both grew up showing livestock in 4-H and FFA shows. In fact, Jacklyn begged her dad to let her show calves — back when girls were not allowed to show animals. She and her sister, Linda, were some of the first girls in the State to show calves.

George worked for Wilson and Company for 10 years, then moved to the Stillwater Milling Company, where he worked 36 years. Jacklyn worked for an ophthalmologist for 25 years, then joined George at the Stillwater Milling Company, working in the front office for 11 years. Both have now retired.

Their two children, Scott Shenold and Stacy Riley, also grew up showing livestock.

"I'm not braggin' on 'em, but they won an awful lot out there," George said. "The county put them through college ... because they got scholarships."

How it all began

One day, George's cousin, Gary, called him and said one of the show's coordinators couldn't help out.

"I said, 'Yeah, I can help you a little bit, let me see if I can get off work,'" George said.

George talked with his boss, Stillwater Milling Company CEO Haskell Cudd, who encouraged him to help.

"He (Cudd) was a big supporter of people getting out and doing things in the public, doing things for other people," George said. "(He'd say), 'Go, go, go, anytime they want you out there, you go. Don't worry about your job here.'"

George agreed to help with the livestock shows that first year in 1978. The fair board asked him to help the next year, and he agreed.

"So that's how it got started," George said. "... And the next thing I know, I was a-runnin' it."

George became the superintendent for the sheep shows, then took on the swine shows. He then began serving on the fair board, and when issues arose with handling the goat shows, he took over those, as well.

Jacklyn later joined him at the shows around 1989, and helped with the sheep and swine shows.

"I usually was just up on the podium, trying to keep the books straight," Jacklyn said.

Sometimes that wasn't an easy task, she said.

Other tasks the Shenolds were involved in included weighing the animals the night before the show and breaking them into classes. Then the livestock producers and FFA and 4-H instructors voted on the judges.

"And then it (was) up to me to call the judge (for sheep, swine and goats)," George said.

Eventually, George became known as "Big George" around the fairgrounds. He and Jacklyn were known for fairness and keeping things running seamlessly. If things did get off track, George would halt the show and start over.

"We're going to start back where we had it right," George said. "... 'Cause nobody's gonna get left out because of our error."

At one point, George coordinated with Kurt Murray, fair board member (Dist. 3), for three years to fund scholarships for students when the goat producers could not.

Students who receive the scholarships must enroll in college, which is one stipulation George said must be in place.

"We want it to be used for education," George said. "You'll never get smart enough, you need to educate."

He also stepped back from working with the swine producers as they wanted to make new rules and add show categories.

"I said, 'Hey, it's becoming too complicated for this old man. You need to get the young ones in there,'" George said. "We need more young people to get involved."

One of the reasons George decided to step down from the fair board was so other younger members could get involved.

"We're not getting any young ideas," George told a fellow fair board member. "You get stagnant in things. You need to do your part, and get out of there and get new ideas."

New ways to track scores and other ideas only help the shows, George said.

"The only way you affect this negatively is if the kids don't show," George said. "We'll make it work any way we gotta make it work, if we gotta buy the ribbons to pass out to 'em, fine and dandy."

He explained how the fair board supports the shows, but other entities, such as the producers, help raise money for premium livestock sales.

For years, George has also helped with the Draft Horse Pulling Competition. He recruited the Oklahoma State University Cowboy Wrestling team to help stack blocks of ice on the wagon instead of older men.

"I said, 'Shoot, those (older) guys need to be watching, not working,'" George said.

He contacted Coach John Smith and asked him if he'd be willing to send some Cowboy wrestlers out to the Payne County Free Fair. In the past 12 years, the collaboration has worked well, providing the wrestling team with more exposure, while adding more excitement to the horse pull.

Memories and lessons

George said his favorite part of being involved with the livestock shows is seeing "those kids and their faces light up" when they win a show.

And sometimes there are tears, too.

"Moms and dads are like anything — it's kind of like playing sports — they build 'em up to think they're going to be the best in the world, and then they don't make it," George said. "...Then you kinda wish they did all make it, but they all can't."

He's watched those same kids come back the next year with a better attitude.

"I've seen kids that's went through there, (and) never make it," he said. "Those kids — the determination they got — just keep trying. Some kids do, some kids don't."

He put his foot down when some wanted to change the rules — such as when the animals are weighed and if they're weighed a second time. And he's conscious about beginners.

"(Some say), 'Well, this is what they do in Oklahoma City,'" George said. "Well, I'm not in Oklahoma City, I'm right here to take care of these Payne County kids. ... I want them all to get a fair shake ... I'm just wanting the average kid to have the same shot as a kid with a lot of money."

Jacklyn said the shows teach kids responsibility in caring for an animal.

"It's just a life-changing experience," she said.

For the Shenolds, it's never been about them.

"Like George says, you know, we do stuff for kids," Jacklyn said.