Prairie View, TX – The 7W Riding Club visited the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Farm and Ranch on Saturday, April 9, 2022, to tour the facilities and expose the club’s youth to new aspects of agriculture. The group was greeted by the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Dean and Director of Land Grant Programs, Gerard D’Souza, Ph.D.; Executive Associate Director of the Cooperative Agriculture Research Center, Erdogan Memili, Ph.D.; Director of the International Goat Research Center, William Foxworth, Ph.D.; and Interim Farm Director, Alfred L. Parks, Ph.D. The directors explained the broad expanse of the agriculture world and discussed the opportunities to work with CAHS for high school students. The group toured CAHS facilities and greenhouses with a special tour of the goat center led by Foxworth.
The 7W Youth Trail Riders and Rodeo Club offers riding and cattle training to local youth to provide agricultural opportunities earlier in their lives.
“We’re here today because it’s educational, and we want our kids to know about riding horses, but we also want them to know about everything,” said Larry Glenn Wilkins, the founder of 7W. “I want my kids to start getting the experience of going to college.”
The farm tour offered the guests a glimpse into the lives of researchers and agricultural scientists, broadening their knowledge of what agriculture can be.
“I love the way they broke it down and let us know that the definition of agriculture is not what people typically think,” said Debbie Brown, the club’s cook and administrator. “It’s dealing with marketing, clothing, and more. You all have equipped me with evidence so I can tell others that their future and dreams can be found in agriculture.”
The club runs barrels, learns how to rope and joins local rodeo competitions. Four of the kids will be participating in a miniature rodeo competition on ESPN soon. Wilkins says it’s important for the club members to be aware of the opportunities afforded to them, regardless of their circumstances.
“A lot of my kids come from, not the greatest environments,” said Wilkins. “But we want our kids to know that it has nothing to do with their limitations. They can make it. We want our kids to compete with any other kid in the United States and this is the best place to start at Prairie View A&M University.”
Pascale Mondesir
Communication Specialist II
pamondesir@pvamu.edu