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FFA fifth at nationals: First time qualifying, group brings back hardware
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · January 18, 2018
After earning its first trip to a national competition, the West Branch High School FFA earned fifth place in livestock judging at the Denver Stock Show.
The stock show runs Jan. 7-22, and the team of seniors Katie Edge and Ethan Fetzer, junior Emily Harold and sophomore Brady Edge also took home ribbons for fourth place in sheep judging and fifth place in swine judging, subcategories to the overall livestock judging contest.
“It was pretty exciting,” Katie Edge said, speaking for the group. “We were super excited that we qualified to go.”
The FFA in August finished second place at the state level to qualify for nationals.
“We were nervous to begin,” she said, but through practice built up their confidence to compete against 13 other teams from across the nation.
FFA advisory Renee Thompson missed the trip while out on maternity leave, but Blake VanderMolen of Tipton, who competed in livestock judging in college, joined the students and families for the group’s trip to Colorado.
“He knows what it takes to step up our game,” Edge said.
Edge said the group had to judge 12 classes of cattle, swine, sheep and goats and prepare six sets reasons — delivered orally to the judges — on the quality of the livestock and why the group rated the livestock into each given class.
The group returned to West Branch to find that fellow FFA members Bridget Buol and Allison Maher decorated and wrote on the front windows of the high school their accomplishments and congratulations.
Edge said the FFA wants to thank the individuals and community members who supported them both financially and in other ways that made their trip possible.
“We are thankful … for people willing to help in any way, shape or form,” she said.
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