GOSHEN COUNTY – The Torrington/Lingle FFA advisor, Jason Groene, told his FFA members on Saturday morning April 9 after the final session of the 2022 Wyoming State FFA Convention, “2022 is a special year, it has a lot of significance when you watch the Torrington/Lingle FFA chapter get the opportunity to walk across the stage in multiple events and go home with six state championships and six reserve state championships.” 

For small town kids from Torrington and Lingle this means a lot because Torrington/Lingle FFA competed with 40 members in 17 events and received awards and recognition in 14 of the 17 Career Development and Leadership Development Events. The Torrington/Lingle FFA was one of 58 chapters in Wyoming to compete at the 2022 Wyoming FFA Convention. The total number of Wyoming FFA members is 3,634, however, only 1,322 students advanced to the state convention. All the FFA chapters come from all different sizes of schools ranging from 4A to 1A.

Agricultural Sales

Starting with a strong win, this group of talented young individuals could sell you anything. The Agricultural Sales team created a binder presentation on the company NexGen Feed Solutions product extruded corn where they were required to sell to an individual, take an exam, and participate in a team activity. The Agricultural Sales team walked across the stage as state champions and earned the opportunity to compete in Indianapolis at the end of October.

• Klacie Groene - High Individual Overall (State Champion), High Individual in 

Written Exam, and 3rd High Individual in Sales Call

• Sarah Birdsall - 2nd High Individual Overall (Reserve Champion), High Individual in Sales Call

• Teryn Stokes - 7th High Individual Overall

• Carleigh Dugger - 9th High Individual Overall, and 2nd High Individual in Sales Call

Creed Speaking 

“I believe in the future of agriculture, with the faith born not of words but of deeds...” As a participant in the Leadership Development Event, Creed speaking, you are required to memorize and recite the FFA Creed in front of a panel of judges, and answer follow up questions concerning the Creed and how it relates to present day agriculture. Freshman Sarah Birdsall did just that; she is the 2022 State Champion Creed Speaker. Sarah earned the opportunity to compete at National Convention with the Agricultural sales team.

Wyoming FFA Star in Agricultural Placement

Dally Wilkins received the Wyoming FFA Star in Agriculture Placement for her SAE project. Dally’s accomplishment is the equivalent to being named FFA member of the year.

FFA Wyoming State Reporter 

Through time and dedication of a very critical interviewing process and multiple cuts of FFA members to get into the final nine of the State Officer selection process, Calista Dugger was selected as the next Wyoming FFA State Reporter. She will now put time and dedication into all chapters across Wyoming for the next year.

Agronomy Team

From identifying and analyzing plants, bugs, and soil types to completing commercial grain grading, land class capability and deciding how much fertilizer to put on crops, the Torrington/Lingle FFA can tell you what that weird bug is that in your house or on your crops. The Agronomy team went through a series of tests to show their knowledge in sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. The Torrington/Lingle FFA Agronomy Team earned Reserve Champion Team Overall, and all four team members were in the top 10 individuals overall. 

• Natalie Speckner - High Individual Overall

• Dally Wilkins - 5th High Individual Overall

• Holly Leiseth - 8th High Individual Overall

• Klacie Groene - 10th High Individual Overall

Livestock Evaluation

In the Career Development Event of Livestock Evaluation, the Torrington/Lingle FFA worked within their team to rank breeding and market classes to beef, sheep, swine, and goats. After ranking their classes, they gave oral reasons to a judge explaining why they placed the class the way they did. The Torrington/Lingle FFA learned a lot in the process of what makes a good market, breeding beef, sheep or swine, this knowledge is valuable to have in the livestock industry. The high school team walked across stage as the Reserve Champion Team Overall earning the opportunity to compete at the National Western Livestock Show in Denver, Colorado, at the end of January. 

• High Team in Beef and Team Activity

• 3rd High Team in Reasons

• Sam Birdsall - 2nd High Individual Overall

• Connor Booth

• Louden Bremer

• Rori Masterson

Jr. High Livestock Evaluation: 

• Reserve Champion Team Overall

• Kaleb Booth - 5th High Individual Overall

• Colter McFarlin - 10th High Individual Overall

• Landre Greiman

• Connor Correll

Employment Skills

Getting a head start, Klacie Groene took part in the leadership development event of Employment Skills. Employment Skills simulates real-world activities testing a FFA members ability to perform effectively in the employment process. Klacie walked across the stage earning 3rd High Individual Overall.

Farm Business Management Team

The Torrington Lingle FFA Farm and Business Management team competed in a decision making and problem analysis skills-based contest to create a written or oral report in Farm and Agribusiness Management. Individually each team member completes a written exam over financial information and data sets. Torrington/Lingle FFA received 3rd High Team Overall.

• Sam Birdsall - 2nd High Individual Overall

• Dylan Packard

• Jayce Rapp

• Natalie Speckner

Poultry Evaluation 

Do you have trouble at the store trying to find the best chicken to buy for your family dinner? Well, the Torrington/Lingle FFA’s poultry team can help you with that problem, in this contest they evaluated live meat-type chickens for broiler breeding, evaluated and placed live egg type hens, and rated the finished product by evaluation and grading ready to-cook carcasses and parts or chickens and turkeys. 

• 5th High Team Overall: 

• Madison Gibson

• Andy Scott

• Kenzie Wilkins 

• Grace Gibson

Jr. High Poultry Evaluation Team Received:

• 3rd High Team Overall

• Grace Kelly - 6th High Individual Overall

• Hadley Wilkins - 7th High Individual Overall

• Anna Frederick

• Brooklyn Asmus

Conduct of Chapter Meetings

Practicing efficient meeting styles and building communication skills, Torrington/Lingle FFA’s Conduct of Chapter Meetings team was required to demonstrate correct use of FFA open and closing ceremonies and basic Parliamentary Procedure. They learned how to grow as a team and be effective in decision making.

• 6th High Team Overall:

• Sarah Birdsall

• Jaycee Hurley 

• Addy Scott

• Ivy Palfy 

• Madison Gibson

• Wittni Bugher 

• Audrina Dugger

Meats Evaluation and Technology

Diving into the science of meat, Torrington/Lingle FFA Meats Evaluation and Technology Team evaluated beef carcasses for quality and yield grade, identified various meat cuts and placed carcasses; and they identified wholesale and retail cuts. Torrington/Lingle FFA received 7th High Team Overall as they lost the tie breaker for 6th overall. 

• Connor Booth

• Louden Bremer

• Sam Birdsall 

• Ned Nelson

Jr. High Meats Evaluation and Technology: 

• 6th High Team Overall: 

• Kaleb Booth

• Landre Greiman

• Caleb Kelly

• Braden Reid

Horse Evaluation Team

Evaluating and ranking horses based on breed characteristics, conformations, and performance all while gaining new insight into equine science, Torrington/Lingle FFA Horse Evaluation individual Holly Leiseth received 8th High Individual Overall.

Torrington/Lingle Chapter
Awards Received

• Reserve Overall State Champions in the Career Development Event Sweepstakes

• 3rd High Chapter in the Leadership Development Event Sweepstakes

• Approximately $11,000 in scholarship money

They brought home six State Champions and six Reserve State Champions.

Torrington/Lingle FFA really achieved some amazing accomplishments over the course of the Wyoming FFA convention and as Mr. Groene always says, “If it was easy everyone would do it.” The talent and dedication of Torrington/Lingle FFA members is truly outstanding, and it would not have been possible without the parents, advisors, and hardworking students.