GOSHEN COUNTY – The combined Torrington-Lingle/Fort Laramie FFA team took 35 members to the 89th Annual Wyoming FFA Convention in Cheyenne, April 5 - 8 while the Southeast team took 53 students and both teams experienced remarkable success on both an individual and team basis.
The Torrington team captured Wyoming FFA Champion in Livestock Evaluation and reserve champion in agronomy, while the Southeast squad was champion in meat evaluation and reserve champion in
agriculture mechanics.
Both teams also took home prestigious individual awards. From Torrington, Makenna Greenwald was named Wyoming FFA Star in Agribusiness while Jared Spencer captured the Wyoming FFA Star in Agricultural Placement. The Wyoming FFA Star award is the highest individual honor an FFA member can receive and exemplifies his or her dedication to their FFA agricultural experience.
“Jared and Makenna’s achievement is a result of the four years of hard work they put in with our group,” explained Torrington-Lingle/Fort Laramie FFA advisor Jason Groene. “They have both worked hard and are very deserving of their awards. And they have been great students to work with.”
For Southeast FFA, Kaci Schmick was the second high individual in the meats evaluation competition and Kaylynn Clapper brought home reserve champion for extemporaneous public speaking. Jay Clapper, the Southeast FFA Advisor was also awarded the Honorary State FFA Degree. Below is a list of all FFA awards received by both teams.
Southeast FFA results:
Meats Evaluation: Champion Team;
Kaci Schmick was second high individual in
meats evaluation
Agriculture Mechanics: Reserve Champion Team
Livestock Evaluation:
8th Place
Horse Evaluation: 13th Place
Junior High Poultry Evaluation: 7th Place
Junior High Livestock Evaluation: 2nd Place
Junior High Meats Evaluation: 6th Place
Junior High Horse Evaluation: Champion Team
Farm Agribusiness Management: 4th Place
Conduct of Chapter Meetings: 3rd Place
Extemporaneous Public Speaking: Kaylynn Clapper, Reserve Champion
Jay Clapper, Southeast FFA Advisor, was awarded the Honorary State
FFA Degree.
“I am extremely proud of the effort I received from all my students,” Clapper said. “We took 53 students to Cheyenne and 27 walked across the stage.
“Whether they won awards or not, I was very pleased with all of them. And I especially want to thank Cheryl Alps and Hadley Peebles for coming as sponsors. They were a tremendous blessing.”
Torrington-Lingle/Fort Laramie FFA results:
Wyoming FFA Star in Agribusiness-Makenna Greenwald
Wyoming FFA Star in Agricultural Placement-
Jared Spencer
Livestock Evaluation: Champion
High team in swine
High team in cattle
High team in reasons
High individual in reasons-Makenna Greenwald
Agronomy: Reserve Champion
Agronomy: Individual Reserve Champion Overall-Peyton Loy
Agronomy: Fifth high individual-Jared Spencer
Ag Sales and Service: Third high team
Employment skills: Fifth high individual-Rhett
Greenwald
Marketing Plan: Fifth
high team
Poultry Evaluation: Sixth high team
Agribusiness Management: Ninth high team
Agribusiness Management: Fourth high individual-Landen Fuller
Meats Evaluation: Eleventh high team
Ag Mechanics and Technology: Thirteenth high team
Greenhand Quiz Bowl: Fourteenth high team
Overall Sweepstakes: Fifth high team
“Everything they achieved came from the kids working well together and the individual work they have done all year,” Groene said. “It was very rewarding. Just a solid week for our chapter.”
However, it is no time to rest on their laurels since the National FFA Convention is just around the corner and some members of Groene’s team qualified to go.
“The national convention is at the end of October and only livestock kids can go. We had four qualify to go to nationals from state, Clay Hiser, Quentin Meyer, Paige Miller and Makenna Greenwald. So we’re not done yet.”
