March 29, 2024

FFA members compete in livestock judging career development event

On Oct.1, seven members of Osceola Big Chief FFA Chapter traveled to Northwest Missouri State University to compete in the fall career development event contest of livestock judging.

Career development events are competitive events geared toward having students apply what they have learned in the classroom to real life situations.

Students can choose to be involved in a variety of contests that fit their interest and experience. They had to judge eight classes of both breeding and market cattle, sheep, and swine.

One of the classes focused on feeder-cattle grading. In this class, the students had to determine the muscle thickness and frame size of each calf.

The contestants also had to give three sets of oral reasons; one of beef, sheep and swine. Oral reasons are a way for the competitors to explain their placings to a judge.

This contest helps improve the participant’s ability to select the ideal market and breeding animal, as well as improving public speaking skills and being confident in themselves.

The Osceola team included Weston Brokaw, Dusty Willke, Kooper Brimm, Jake Manternach, Gabe Crawford, Skylar Johnson and Kaitlyn Boyer.

Osceola Big Chief FFA team placed 11th out of a total of 76 teams from Missouri and Iowa. Kaitlyn Boyer was honored to receive the overall highest placing individual out of a total of 323 individual participants. She received a medal and a $250 scholarship to Northwest Missouri State University.