A young girl with brown hair and clear-framed glasses sits in her wheelchair holding the lead rope to a white goat's halter. She is wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and leopard print cowboy boots. A teenage girl with a brown hair braid in a blue shirt and blue jeans pushes the little girl's wheelchair. A teenage boy in jeans and a rusty-colored orange shirt walks alongside the goat. They are walking in a show ring of wood chips, and there is a blurred view of the crowd sitting in the stands. — Each All For One Livestock Show participant is paired with one or two 4-H or FFA student volunteers and an animal. (Photo provided by Liana Palmer, LeFlore County Extension)

Special needs children compete to win at All For One Livestock Show

Monday, March 24, 2025

Media Contact: Gail Ellis | Editorial Communications Coordinator | 405-744-9152 | gail.ellis@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University Extension educators in LeFlore County are enriching the lives of Oklahomans with a livestock exhibition event for special needs children.

OSU Extension educators and other personnel hosted the second annual All For One Livestock Show on Feb. 28 in Poteau.

“The ag community here is very inclusive,” said Liana Palmer, OSU Extension ag educator in LeFlore County. “Everybody wants to support these kids; it’s a heartwarming program.”

Palmer had the idea to host a show in 2024 after visiting schools in the county and seeing the need for hands-on agriculture opportunities in the classroom.

“When I met with these special needs kids and took farm animals into the schools, I saw these kids’ reactions and how excited they were, how they were so engaged with what I was trying to teach them,” she said.

The All For One Livestock Show pairs special needs children with a local 4-H or FFA student volunteer to accompany them around the show ring with a lamb, goat or pig. Show participants interact with the animals, are applauded for their efforts in the ring and receive a blue ribbon.

“We want to meet them where they’re at,” Palmer said. “They are in the spotlight. We read what’s special about them, what’s important to them. It’s their moment.”

A young boy wearing black pants, a red T-shirt and a white long-sleeved shirt underneath it holds hands with a woman wearing black pants and a red sweatshirt. The woman is touching the head of a red goat as she walks beside it. On the other side of the goat is a brunette teenage girl leading the goat with a halter and lead rope. She is wearing a black T-shirt and jeans. They are all walking in a show ring. — The show's announcer reads a profile on each participant as they walk the ring and then receive a blue ribbon. (Photo provided by Liana Palmer, LeFlore County Extension)

In 2024, 80 children participated. This year, that number grew to 87. Palmer said she hopes the event can continue to expand and spark similar shows in other areas of the state.

“There are so few things for kids with special needs to get involved in that’s focused on them,” she said. “Some families travel to other towns or cities to find these types of resources. It’s extremely important to have something kids can grab ahold of in life, find something that they enjoy and like, and so many kids with special needs really love animals.”

Each child interacts with their volunteer and animal on their unique level, touching the animals, holding the lead rope at the end of the animal’s halter, and moving alongside the animal. The bleachers along the show ring are filled with fellow participants, parents and other supporters who cheer and clap as children are recognized.

Palmer said the event can be exhilarating but also overwhelming for children. New this year, organizers set up a sensory break station for participants to visit away from the announcer’s jarring microphone and crowd noise.

“We’re going to continue meeting the children’s needs as we grow this event,” she said. “We’ll keep communicating with the schools, therapists and specialists to determine how to provide a more inclusive environment.”

As the superintendent of LeFlore Public Schools and a proud parent of a participant, Justin Kennedy said he’s grateful to Palmer and her OSU Extension colleagues for establishing such a meaningful and impactful event for children.

“They do an incredible job of including everybody,” he said. “To see this barn fill up, it’s exciting. I’m so proud of everyone that’s made the effort to cheer these kids on. They get to win and be in a supportive environment. My heart as a parent is full today.”

Kennedy and Palmer are blown away by the involvement of LeFlore County’s 4-H and FFA communities.

“When you step into a livestock barn, you see there’s still a lot of kids who want to make a difference,” Palmer said. “Everybody is looking for connection, and when we can bring people together, I think something really special happens.”

Watch a segment about the All For One Livestock Show on “SUNUP,” the television show of OSU Agriculture.

To learn more about the show, please contact Palmer in LeFlore County at liana.jones@okstate.edu.