Rushford-Peterson has dairy success
By Janet Kubat Willette
jkubat@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 05/21/2012 1:44 PM
E-mail article | Print version
RUSHFORD, Minn. — For the first time in recent memory, Rushford-Peterson FFA has the state's No. 1 dairy cattle handler and No. 2 high individual in dairy cattle evaluation.
Hope Morrison, a sophomore, and Cole Theede, a senior, competed for the first time at the state FFA convention this year and both came home with plaques.
Theede, who competed in dairy cattle evaluation, qualified to compete as an individual at state by placing second in Region 8 competition. His team didn't qualify to advance to state, so he went alone and placed only three points out of first place.
Theede judged the cattle, gave oral reasons and completed the team activity by himself. The team activity involves using DHIA records to make decisions for a dairy herd.
Theede's family sold their Holsteins six years ago, but he's stayed involved by milking cows for Steve Agrimson of Peterson. He also plans to compete on the Winona County 4-H dairy judging team this summer and perhaps on the University of Minnesota team, where he plans to go after graduation from Rushford-Peterson High School.
The Dairy Cattle Handler Career Development Event is like a showmanship contest, said Morrison, who placed first in the CDE at the state convention last month. She showed two animals in the coliseum for six minutes each as FFA members competing in the Dairy Cattle Evaluation CDE judged them. The students had 12 minutes to look at the animals before placing them in classes. She showed a winter calf and two-year-old.
Rushford-Peterson's general livestock team also did well at state, placing fifth. Team members are James Knudson, a senior; Jordan Bergen, a sophomore; Ben Markegard, a sophomore; Jorli Hauge, a sophomore; and Abe Hauge, a senior.
The team has practiced together since the beginning of last year. The Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event consists of ranking beef cattle, sheep and hogs. Next year, meat goats will be included in the contest. They were judged on a trial basis at this year's convention.
The Rushford-Peterson teams are coached by FFA advisers and agricultural education teachers Colby Lind and Jessica Thompson.
Lind has a background in general livestock judging as a member of the University of Minnesota team.