Friday, August 29, 2025
Club Sports
Payton Little
Oklahoma State Ranch Horse Team member Abby Steffee walks with her horse during a Monday practice at Totusek Arena.
‘Well-oiled machine’
OSU Ranch Horse team thrives through supportive culture
O
B Y R AY N E E H O W E L L
n a horse farm in northeast Ohio, Abby Steffee learned more than the average person knows about horses. Other than maybe her professional-show-jumper parents.
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From a young age, Steffee learned from and followed in her parent’s footsteps, becoming a show jumper. After experiencing struggles in the sport — from burn out to expenses — she knew there was another avenue for her that still included her favorite animal.
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “I was kind of thrown in the deep end since I was a kid,” she said. “Show jumping, for me, was just really toxic and expensive.” A couple years before making it to Oklahoma State, Steffee switched to team penning and ranch sorting — both cattlecentered equestrian events. She
had no idea the switch would lead her to the OSU ranch horse team. “I never knew this side of it existed,” Steffee said. “It’s a totally different ball game, and it’s amazing.”
See HORSE on page 6A
Payne County Free Fair showcases local talent of cattlemen, vendors Rhema Coleman
STAFF REPORTER
For some, the fair scene in Stillwater was a firsttime experience. With rides lighting up the evening paired with funnel cake in the air, the Payne County Free Fair was added to one Oklahoma State student’s to-do list. “This is my first time here,” OSU senior Jada Birts said. “My friend mentioned it in passing, so we figured we should go. In all honesty, I came for the funnel cakes and the pop-up shops.” The fair was back for another year as local cattlemen, vendors and families came together for cattle shows, rides and fair food. Throughout the day, goat and junior horse showcases took center stage as young ranchers showed off the structure and quality of their animals in friendly competition. Payton Little
See FAIR on page 2A
Cross Canadian Ragweed lead singer Cody Canada announced at “The Boys From Oklahoma Texas Encore” at Baylor University that he plans to return to Stillwater in April for another show.
‘The Boys From Oklahoma’ confirm repeating concert series in Stillwater Raynee Howell
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Boone Pickens Stadium turned into a concert venue for four electric nights in April for Cross Canadian Ragweed’s first show in 15 years.
Red Dirt country music fans will see Ragweed return to rock BPS again April 11. This time, Ragweed and Turnpike will be joined with Wyatt Flores, The Great Divide and Shane Smith & the Saints. Ragweed returned to its roots in Stillwater alongside The
Great Divide, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Stoney LaRue, Turnpike Troubadours and the Mike McClure Band for the first “The Boys From Oklahoma” concert series. More than 200,000 fans attended the concerts.
See BOYS on page 3A
Lilian Easter
Payne County Free Fair offered rollercoasters, fair food and several cattle events to attend.