OC Fair & Event Center Welcomes Hoss & Howie to Centennial Farm As New Oxen Team
Costa Mesa, Calif. (October 4, 2016) – At three years old and 1,000 pounds each, American Milking Devon cattle Hoss and Howie make up the Centennial Farm’s new oxen team after arriving on the OC Fair & Event Center property on September 30. Hoss and Howie traveled over 1,000 miles from Three Eagles Ranch in Larkspur, Colorado to their new home in Costa Mesa.
Centennial Farm is a three-acre working farm at the OC Fair & Event Center created to educate youth about agriculture and its importance to daily life. Through the Farm’s free year-round tours program, thousands of local schoolchildren have the opportunity to learn and see first-hand the roots of Orange County’s rich agricultural history.
Born in May 2013, Hoss and Howie are medium-sized cattle known as American Milking Devon, the first purebred cattle in the U.S. and the favorite of President George Washington. American Milking Devon cattle average 1,100-1,600 pounds in weight, have coats that range from light to dark ruby red in color and don white horns with black tips. Historically known as a triple purpose breed providing milk, meat and labor, American Milking Devon cattle are more commonly used now as oxen – cattle that have been trained to work – due to their tendency to be active, intelligent and strong for their size. Hoss and Howie were a part of a 10-year conservancy breeding program that has produced more than 60 head of cattle in order to sustain the historic breed.
As part of their permanent residency at Centennial Farm, Hoss and Howie will be featured as the Farm’s oxen team, educating the public about oxen through demonstrations during onsite school tours and at the annual OC Fair and Imaginology event. Centennial Farm offers free guided and self-guided tours from September to May providing agricultural education for more than 100,000 schoolchildren annually. Centennial Farm is also open free to the public generally Monday-Friday 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
For more information about the Centennial Farm and to book a tour, visit ocfair.com/centennialfarm.
The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit ocfair.com, become a fan on Facebook.com/OCFair, follow us at twitter.com/ocfair or call (714) 708-1500.