Clay Bailey of Edgewood rides Abrams, the longhorn steer, at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds on Monday. He and Fred Balmer of Folsom plan to ride longhorn steers during the Ag Expo today and Wednesday, and have two younger steers for petting.

Lindsey Valdez sets up for the expo while holding her 3-month-old daughter, Kenzie, on Monday at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds

Cowboys riding ... longhorn steers? You gotta be kidding.

No, the 17th annual Ag Expo features just that and more 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds.

Event manager Sharon King, executive director of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, said the expo’s importance is “to bring new technology and services in agriculture to our area.”

Here’s a look at this year’s Ag Expo:

Longhorn cattle: Clay Bailey of Edgewood and Fred Balmer of Folsom ride two large longhorn steers and have two younger, smaller steers for petting. They also offer information about the animals.

They’re available all day around the fairgrounds and in the beef barn.

Horses: Paraplegic horse trainer Michael Richardson is appearing for the second year. He has a positive way of communicating with horses, according to Chamber information.

Richardson is giving a presentation at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Show Arena.

Dogs: Stock dog trainer Orin Barnes is to work one-on-one with 15 dogs and their owners, according to Chamber information. The public is invited to watch.

Antique tractors: Fifteen to 20 antique tractors are to make their appearance at the expo in parades and games, said Cindy Huffman, who organized those events. The games included a barrel push, a candy drop and a chain game.

“The Ag Expo is to show off new equipment and new things that are going on in agriculture, and the antique tractors are to show how far agriculture has come,” Huffman said.

Comfort food: County Extension Home Economist Connie Moyers presents “Comfort Food-Remade” to show how to make old favorite dishes with less fat and fewer calories. Attendees will be able to sample some recipes, according to the Chamber.

Agriculture security: Two presentations on agriculture security and related topics are scheduled.

Ron Parker of the New Mexico Livestock Board is to talk about what animal identification and country of origin labeling mean to national security and the average producer.

Also, Kircher said State Livestock Board veterinarian Dr. Dave Fly is to discuss the state’s status on various animal diseases.

“And then he’ll talk about the broader scheme of what animal health means in the country and what it means to be conscious of animal health issues from a national standpoint,” Kircher said.

Tuesday
9 a.m. — Expo opens
9:30 a.m. — Information on agriculture careers from state colleges and universities. Open to all students in the High Plains. Dairy Pavilion.
10 a.m. — Enlightened Horsemanship with Michael Richardson. Show Arena.
10 a.m. — Future of Wind Energy in New Mexico with renewable energy consultant Robert Lumpkin and transmission line authority Rory McMinn. Cacahuate Room, Jake Lopez Building.
10:30 a.m. — Comfort Foods-Remade with Roosevelt County Extension Home Economist Connie Moyers. McAlister Room, Jake Lopez Building.
11 a.m. — Antique Tractor Parade. Midway.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Chuck Wagon Lunch. $12 for pork chops. Money goes to Portales Rotary Club. Sheep Barn.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Dairy Women’s Social. Sponsored by Dairy Max for all dairy women at no charge. Dairy Pavilion.
1 p.m. — Animal ID and Country of Origin Labeling and Their Effects on Ag Security with Ron Parker of the state Livestock Board. McAlister Room, Jake Lopez Building.
1:30 p.m. — Antique Tractor Games. East side of the fairgrounds, north of the peanut-grading station.
2 p.m. — Enlightened Horsemanship with Michael Richardson. Show Arena.
2 p.m. — Antique Tractor Parade. Midway.
3 p.m. — New Mexico Animal Health and Ag Security with state Livestock Board veterinarian Dr. Dave Fly. McAlister Room, Jake Lopez Building.
5 p.m. — Expo closes.

Wednesday:
9 a.m. — Expo opens.
9 a.m. — — Dairy Management Workshop with Tom Fuhrmann of Dairy Works Management Systems. Dairy Pavilion.
9 a.m. — Working Dog Clinic with Orin Barnes begins. Runs all day with lunch break. Show Arena.
9 a.m. — Antique Tractor Games. East side of the fairgrounds, north of the peanut-grading station.
10:30 a.m. — Comfort Foods-Remade with Roosevelt County Extension Home Economist Connie Moyers. McAlister Room, Jake Lopez Building.
11 a.m. — Weed Resistance Management with NMSU Extension Weed Specialist Jamshid Ashigh. Cacahuate Room, Jake Lopez Building.
11 a.m. — Antique Tractor Parade. Midway.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — J4 Barbecue. $7 for barbecue sandwich, potato salad, pickles and onions, brownie and drink. Sheep Barn.
Noon — Dairy Farmers of America Dairymen’s Lunch. Open to all dairymen at no charge. Dairy Pavilion.
Noon — Working Dog Clinic with Orin Barnes breaks for lunch.
12:30 p.m. — Market Update with Dairy Farmers of America Vice President of Marketing John Wilson. Dairy Pavilion.
1 p.m. — Working Dog Clinic with Orin Barnes continues. Show Arena.
2 p.m. — Beef Cow Health Management with NMSU Extension Veterinarian Dr. John Wenzel. McAlister Room, Jake Lopez Building.
2 p.m. — Irrigation Water Productivity of Spring Oil-seed Crops with NMSU Extension Crop Physiologist Sangu Angadi. Cacahuate Room, Jake Lopez Building.
2 p.m. — Antique Tractor Parade. Midway.
5 p.m. — Expo closes.