Imbler FFA members find big success at state fair

SHOWING IN SALEM: Emilee Patterson exhibits her dwarf Hotot at the Oregon State Fair where she was champion showman for her division in rabbits. Submitted photo

While the group may have been small, the seven found big success.

The Greenhand Livestock Judging team placed second overall and was composed of Emilee Patterson, Jacey Teeter and Riley Merrigan. Greenhands are agriculture education students no older than sophomores and in their first year of agriculture education.

Merrigan brought the reserve cow/calf commercial pair and went on to earn the Reserve Greenhand Showman buckle. In addition, he was part of the first-place beef herdsmanship, along with Katelyn McCoy and Kacie Merrigan. McCoy brought two registered Angus and competed as an advanced showman.

Kacie Merrigan, while a part of the Chapter Beef Herdsmanship winning group, also was first in overall FFA individual herdsmanship. While showing her Maine-Anjou breeding heifer, she earned the reserve champion title, in confirmation.

Kristy McKee placed third in confirmation with her St. Croix lamb and sixth in her class for showmanship.

Joe Arnzen, competed at the fair as well by partaking in the FFA tractor driving event, where he placed 15th.

The FFA members are students at Imbler High School and are enrolled in an agriculture education course, where they are extending classroom instruction with their supervised agriculture experience programs (SAEs). The SAEs are a student’s opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom with real-life and hands on learning experiences in an agriculture-related field.

 All the projects exhibited at the Oregon State Fair are qualifying SAEs for students. They keep records on receipts and disbursements, hours invested, and health and wellness plans for their animals. Each student is working towards or has already received the Oregon FFA State Degree, the highest award bestowed upon a FFA member in Oregon. Their agriculture instructor is J.D. Cant.

For any students interested in agriculture education or the FFA, contact the agriculture instructor in your respective school district to discover the opportunities FFA membership provides, including developing your own SAE.