Elizabethton students bring home a harvest of blue ribbons

Published 1:06 pm Tuesday, September 6, 2022

By Kaitlyn Crowe, FFA Chapter Reporter

Nearly 40 Elizabethton High School FFA members competed in the District Beef Evaluation contest at the Appalachian Fair in Gray in August. The contest hosted over 144 individuals and 44 teams from across the region.

Students placed classes of steers, heifers, and brood cows into ranking order — judging them on appearance, structure, and other quality indicators. The contest does more than teach students about quality animals, it teaches the importance of comparing things to a standard. Once you have a standard, you can compare and begin to judge the items compared to that standard. It just so happens our “items” are living, breathing cows!

Out of 144 individuals, EHS FFA member Jaiden Sayers placed 2nd overall. Out of 44 teams, Elizabethton had the 5th and 6th place teams (we want to give a great big congratulations to our friends at Unaka High FFA for having the 4th place team!).

Students also submitted shop and greenhouse projects in various categories.

• 2-wheel utility trailer (Hayden Culbert, Ashton Mitchell), 1st place; Welding Table (Ashton Mitchell), 1st place

• Sawhorse (Kenlee Blackburn, Lauren Carrier), 1st place; Wooden Planter (Kenlee Blackburn), 1st place

• Spider plant (EHS Greenhouse), 1st place

• Black and white photo (Kenlee Blackburn),1st place; color photo of animal (Carter Muncey), 3rd place

• Black and white photo of animal (Lauren Carrier), 2nd place; color photo of landscape (Lilian Walker), 4th place

• Color photo of person (Lauren Carrier), 1st place and BEST OF SHOW!