El Capitan FFA Success At Merced County Fair!

By Valexis Vang El Capitan

FFA Chapter Reporter

 

El Capitan High School FFA members participated in the Merced County Fair Livestock Show which took place June 5th-9th. Students purchased livestock throughout the months of November through February, and worked hard to ensure their animals were of market ready quality by fair. It was evident that all students went above and beyond to get their animals ready for the fair, as all students were successful in the show and sale. Students raised animals in the areas of beef cattle, dairy cattle, market goats, dairy goats, sheep, swine, rabbits, and poultry. 

​

Students showed their animal in a market or breeding class and a showmanship class. In the market or breeding classes, animals were judged on their appearance and ability to provide a quality product or offspring. In showmanship students were judged on their performance when showing their livestock animals.

​

Kaylee Weldon showed a Market Steer and received 3rd place in Novice Showmanship and 2nd place in her weight class. In the dairy show, Tegan Siemiller won 1st in her heat for showmanship, overall 7th, 2nd in her heat for market and made it to the final drive!

​

In the goat show, Joseph Rodriguez placed 6th in Advanced Showmanship and Makayla Hemphill placed 1st! Makayla also won Reserve Champion Yearling Doe. Madysen Dietz, Ann Marie Wade, and Ashleigh Rushford made it to the final drive in showmanship! Ashleigh Rushford placed first in her class and made it to the champion drive representing the heavyweight goats using a Dietz bred animal.

​

Sheep exhibitors, Madysen Dietz won Supreme Champion Wether Dan Ram, Reserve Supreme Champion Ewe, and was 4th overall in showmanship! Anissa Walker won breed champion with the group and was 2nd in the chapter group! She also won Natural Lamb Breed Champion.

​

The swine group had a successful week with Samantha Col placing 3rd in Advanced Showmanship and Bailey Chambers placing 5th in Freshman Showmanship.

​

Poultry show team, Graciela Cuevas won Grand Champion Meat Pen and 5th place in showmanship! Nea Holmes won Reserve Grand Champion Meat Pen and 8th in showmanship. Other showmanship awards included: Jasmine Hernandez ; 2nd place, Jimena Gudino ; 3rd place, Erika Sterner-Jones ; 4th place, Allison Mejia ; 6th place, and Isabel Perez ; 7th place!

​

The El Capitan High School agriculture advisors are very proud of how much work their students put into their projects. Their hard work and dedication showed throughout the fair. The livestock team and advisors would also like to thank the outstanding Merced County community for their support in the livestock auction. All students were not only able to cover all expenses of their projects, but received additional profit to aid in further development of future livestock projects. Their support has led to valuable life skills for our students and funds to support their futures.