FFA members were confident about show ring success
By jean caspers
Date Modified: 10/13/2009 11:29 AM
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Agri News staff writer
CALMAR, Iowa -- Sumner-Fredericksburg seniors and FFA members Alyssa Meyer and Nichole Wurzer were pretty confident about how they did at the recent Tri-State Ag and Dairy Expo held at the Dairy Center at Calmar.
Meyer has participated in the dairy judging competition four times and Wurzer, three times.
Their classmates, senior Amber Miller and juniors Jenny Smith and Kelsey Connor, were competing for the first time. They were relieved when the judging and oral reasons were finished. Miller and Smith grew up in town. Connor works on a dairy farm, but has never shown dairy cattle.
They took FFA advisor and vo-ag teacher Meghan Crilly's animal science or introduction to agriculture classes where they learned about all the dairy cow parts and how to give oral reasons.
"It's a great way to get some hands on experience reviewing what we learned in class," Crilly said, who brought 23 students to the dairy judging event.
"I learned a lot from the class," Miller said. "At least I could name the parts of a dairy cow. It was worthwhile coming and participating."
"I never looked at a cow before today," Smith said. "I was really nervous, but I think I did OK for the first time. I learned a lot. The class really helped."
Meyer said she likes coming to the Tri-State Ag and Dairy Expo.
"It's a lot of fun, and I like the educational sessions that they have," she said. "One year they had a session on veterinarians. It was awesome."
Wurzer's family has operated a dairy farm for many generations near Waucoma.
"I own six cows and one had its first calf this morning so I was late getting to the bus," Wurzer said as she showed a photo of the calf on her cell phone. "It's a Holstein-Jersey cross named Smalls."
She plans to major in dairy science and minor in prevet at Iowa State University.
This year's Tri-State Ag and Dairy Expo attracted 460 FFA members from 16 schools in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Bill Rauen of Alta Genetics was the judge for cattle judging. Terri Boylston, ISU food science and nutrition professor, judged dairy products. Northeast Iowa Community College students fitted and led cattle for the judging events and seminars.