Local FFA students shine at district fair

Jade Jenkins of Marshall FFA, sets up her animal during the Central District FFA Fair sheep show held Monday, July 10, at the Saline County Fairgrounds. Jenkins went on to win the grand champion market lamb. [Click to enlarge]

FFA students from up to 52 schools converged on the Saline County Fairgrounds Monday, July 10, to take part in the Central District FFA Fair.

Light rain and cool weather greeted the students who came to show horses, rabbits, poultry, quail, hogs and sheep. Other students brought corn, soybeans, potted plants, vegetables and woodworking projects to be judged in the Vanderlinden building. Over 100 welding projects, big and small, were also on display and judged at the fairgrounds.

While few local youth participated in the rabbit, poultry or horse shows, Saline County students did well in the hog and sheep shows.

Katie Tyre, of Slater FFA, showed the grand champion market hog Monday. July 10, at the Central District FFA Fair held at the Saline County Fairgrounds. [Click to enlarge]

In the hog show, students from Slater FFA dominated the show, taking home the sweepstakes trophy for the most hogs entered.

Katie Tyre, a recent graduate of Slater High School, showed the grand champion market hog, while Scott Leimkuehler, also a recent Slater graduate showed the reserve grand champion market hog.

Whitney Hinnah, another student from the Slater Class of 2006, showed the grand and reserve champion boars. Chris Peuster, also of Slater and in his last year of FFA, was named the grand champion showman.

Jade Jenkins of Marshall FFA showed the grand champion market lamb at the Central District Fair Monday, July 10. Pictured with her is the judge, Chad Carr of Columbia. [Click to enlarge]

The grand champion gilt was shown by Sam Rittman, a junior at Knob Noster, and reserve champion gilt was shown by Danielle Heimsoth of Santa Fe. Rittman was named the high point individual.

Sweet Springs FFA chapter was second in the sweepstakes trophy, while Knob Noster was third in the number of entries.

In the sheep show, Marshall FFA's Jade Jenkins, who will be a sophomore, showed the grand champion market lamb, while Peuster, who will be a senior this year at Texas A&M, showed the reserve champion market lamb. The grand champion ram was shown by Sarah Bush of Clinton and the reserve grand champion ram was shown by Ryan Simms of Pleasant Hill. The grand champion ewe and reserve grand champion ewe was shown by Bush.

Scott Leimkuehler, of Slater FFA showed the reserve grand champion market hog Monday, July 10. [Click to enlarge]

The high point individual plaque was won by Simms, who is in his last year of FFA. Pleasant Hill FFA took home the sweepstakes award. Simms was also named grand champion sheep showman. The judge for both shows was Chad Carr, a student working on his docorate at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The horse show was shortened because of the rain and held inside the beef barn. However, when the sun peeked out later, some horse showmen went out to the lower arena to participate in some fun events. Megan White, a freshman at Holden High School had the grand champion mare and grand champion halter horse. She also was named grand champion in showmanship. Her sister, Nicole White, a college sophomore, showed the reserve champion halter horse, and had the grand champion gelding.

In the poultry show, Riley Anderson, a senior at Odessa High, had the grand champion chicken, with a speckled Sussex. Daniel Ledesma, who just graduated from Kansas City East High School had "around 30 chickens at the show," and took home the sweepstakes award for his FFA chapter. The show was judged by Carl Pearcy, the agriculture advisor at Cass Career Center in Harrisonville.

Chris Peuster of Slater FFA showed the reserve grand champion market lamb at the Central District Fair Monday, July 10. Pictured with him is the judge, Chad Carr of Columbia. [Click to enlarge]

In the rabbit show, Alan Horn of the Nichols Career Center FFA in Jefferson City had the grand champion rabbit, with a Californian Doe. Judge for the rabbit show was Sharon Stephens, of Malta Bend.

The Central District FFA Fair continues Tuesday, July 11, with the dairy and beef cattle shows.