On this site stood
The Livestock Judging Pavilion
For six decades, from 1938 to 1997, the Livestock Judging Pavilion served as a focal point for many activities within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. At this site, thousands of students learned how to evaluate and judge farm animals. Serving as a laboratory for courses offered by the Department of Animal Sciences and a forum for student events, the pavilion provided young people the opportunity to develop their skills. Some of them eventually became state and national agricultural leaders. Annual events included the Block and Bridle Club Horse Show, Little International Livestock Show, MSU Rodeo, and visits by collegiate judging teams from other universities. The Judging Pavilion offered many college, high school and elementary students their first exposure to the MSU campus. It also provided opportunities to bring Michigan's finest industry leaders and livestock managers together with faculty and students. At these summits, important agricultural issues were discussed and future trends developed. Initially, draft horse competitions were the most popular activity. By the 1950's, beef, dairy, poultry, sheep and swine events had gained in popularity. In later years, youth activities, centered around 4-H and the Future Farmers
of America programs, were predominant. The bricks highlighting these columns were preserved when the pavilion was razed in May of 1997, as a reminder of its legacy. The spirit and mission of the pavilion lives on within the new Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education which was constructed on Farm Lane in 1996.
Comments 0 comments