REDMOND, OR -- When the Deschutes County Fair opens Wednesday, one of the first livestock events will feature students from Redmond High School's Unified Sports program. "Unified Sports falls under the umbrella of Special Olympics," says Redmond High's Angela Capps, "So we pair what we call partners, our mentors, with our athletes, who are kids with special needs." Capps co-teaches Unified Sports at RHS. It was created two years ago by her co-teacher Amy Nickell. About a year ago, Capps tells KBND News, they got the idea to expand the program to FFA.
Seven special needs students are learning how to show lambs, with the help of FFA mentors like Abby Ortgies. "Last week, we had them come meet the animals, that way they can get their sensitivity up and understand what it's about, so they're not scared and nervous to do it. And they all loved it." Ortgies says, "They had a blast. It was really cute and they had a lot of fun." She adds, "We taught them how to walk slow and be calm with them, because [the sheep] can get startled sometimes when people jump up to them. So we told them to walk them around in circles." Mentors and athletes will work tegether in the ring, "Our partners will hold on to the ends of the halters and they'll hold on to the very closest part of the halter. So just in case they accidentally let go, the lamb stays with them," says Ortgies.
Recent RHS grad Brynn Capps says she's excited to work with her partner athlete in this new venue, "Showing livestock, and sheep specifically, has just a huge place in my heart. And being able to invite these kids who don't really get these opportunities every day so that they can show lambs is such an incredible opportunity."
Angela Capps says the Unified Sports program has had a big impact on the overall culture at RHS. "There's been great friendships developed. We have students going to dances now because their friends are there. It's just an amazing program. It just kind of - it warms your heart." Now, she hopes to spread that feeling to FFA and the ag community through Sheep Showmanship. "We have a really strong group of people showing. It's pretty amazing. Our Redmond FFA kids from all species of animals, they're just top notch. They're really fun to watch."
Unified FFA Sheep Showmanship is at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Sheep Ring at the fairgrounds in Redmond. While unified athletes aren't competing with other FFA livestock presenters, Capps says there will be prizes. She says the program could eventually expand to include goats, along with lambs.
The Deschutes County Fair runs through Sunday.
