A successful 2018 fair for FFA chapter
Courtesy photos From left to right: Justin Pluid (Adviser), Sydney Nelson, Crysta McLeish, Katelyn Hutchinson, Sierra Hill, Lance Freeze and Julie Smith (Adviser).
Sydney Nelson with her Grand Champion ribbon in Beef Showmanship.
Lance Freeze with his Champion Ribbon for Swine Quality.
(Courtesy Photo) Sydney Nelson with her Grand Champion rosette in the Large Animal Showmanship contest.
2018 Fair Showmen before the Market Animal Sale on Friday night of Fair Week.
Sierra Hill with her Grand Champion Quality steer, Moose.
(Courtesy Photo) Crysta McLeish with her champion ribbon during Goat Showmanship.
(Courtesy Photo) Katelyn Hutchinson with her pig, Rumble, and her Reserve Champion ribbon in Swine Showmanship.
The 2018 Boundary County Fair was a great success for FFA livestock producers, giving them opportunities to compete in livestock Showmanship and Quality events. In total, 25 FFA members showed at the fair this year. Most received blue ribbons in both categories, numerous competitors earned Best in Class ribbons in their species, and five members took home rosettes for Grand or Reserve Champion.
Katelyn Hutchinson brought home the first rosette in Swine Showmanship on the first day of competition. She was awarded Reserve Champion swine showman, behind Cade Jelinek from the 4-H program. Crysta McLeish won Goat Showmanship overall, Champion Quality Breeding Goat, and Reserve Champion Quality Pet Goat.
Thursday morning, Lance Freeze would be the next member to win a rosette for FFA. His award showed how well his pig would do on the market, when he received a Grand Champion ribbon for Swine Quality. His brother, Trent Freeze, who showed through the 4-H program, was awarded Reserve Champion in Swine Quality. Ribbons must run in their family!
Sierra Hill won Beef Quality giving the FFA chapter yet another rosette in the barn. Sydney Nelson also received a champion ribbon, winning Grand Champion in Beef Showmanship. Not only did Sydney take the beef category, she also won the Large Animal Showmanship Contest, placing her as the best Large Animal showman of the 2018 Boundary County Fair.
This contest, commonly known as Round Robin, allows Champion showmen from each livestock division to compete for the largest rosette of them all. Each champion contestant must show each animal in their contest. The Large Animal contest required participants to show a steer, pig, and lamb. Often, each participant has shown only one of these animals. However, with her experience in both swine and beef, Sydney was able to win the contest.
Many awards went home with fair showmen, and cheers combined with applause echoed in the Indoor Arena. Four chapter members participated in Fair Royalty and took home sashes, tiaras and college scholarships. The Fair King, also from our chapter, received an original FFA belt buckle, made by Montana Silversmiths as his prize, along with a college scholarship.
The awesome participation by chapter members in various livestock divisions and Royalty positions of the fair, created an exciting atmosphere. Each day, there was a fellow member to cheer on and support.
On behalf of the Bonners Ferry FFA Chapter and the 2018-19 Officer Team, I thank all those who supported the fair, whether through stopping at the Indoor Arena to watch contests or through the purchase of our market animals. I personally have seen the support of this awesome community, and your examples have inspired me to give back, as I know it has others. This community truly knows what it means to be “county proud”, and I hope that this county will always be proud for the ideals portrayed here in the jewel of the Gem State, Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Stay caught up on all the events from our chapter by checking out our website at bonnersferryffa.weebly.com.