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Montoursville FFA Competes in Bloomsburg Fair CDE

The Bloomsburg Fair held its 169th year from Sept. 20 through Sept. 28. The fair held many events from a Riley Green concert to a Career Development Event, or CDE. Agriculture teacher, Mr. Noah Phillips took 25 agriculture students to this event to compete. 

The students competed in events that included Dairy Judging, Livestock Judging, and Horse Judging.

The Senior Dairy Judging team took first place. This team was made up of Seniors Kacen Engle, Leah Kaufman, and Junior Ethan Hendershot.

Hendershot took first overall in the Senior division. He chose this event because he has enjoyed dairy farming for his whole life.

Junior Ethan Hendershot observes and places four heifers at the Bloomsburg CDE competition. Hendershot received first overall for the senior division. Photo by Leah Kaufman

Depending on the event participants chose, they had to do a written test of basic knowledge for that species of animal and judge live animals.

For the judging, the animals had to be placed most desirably.

For example, dairy judging had to judge a group of four cows.

These cows are particularly females who have had calves, meaning that the mothers would have milk in their udders.

They also had to judge a group of four heifers, which were female cows that had never had calves. Following that they took a test on breeds, desirable traits, equipment, and feed.

This event was the first competition Montoursville has competed in since Phillips, a first-year teacher, started teaching.

A CDE is important to help students develop skills that will come in handy in the real world and their jobs.

The school’s FFA chapter is looking into more of these events to compete in for the future. 

Most students went into this competition with about one month of experience in their events.

“I looked up the most desirable traits of cattle and goats, as in body mass, body structure, and overall appearance,” said senior Briar Vlacich, who competed in the Senior division of livestock judging and received second place. 

Students were able to pick an event to compete in based on their past knowledge and what they wanted to learn about. Some chose their events because they knew little about the curriculum but wanted to learn more, and others wanted to test out what they knew to see if what they had was enough.

Freshman Reagan Tucker competed in the equine event.

Students observe the horses as they trot around the arena. Eight Montoursville students competed in the equine event. Photo by Leah Kaufman

When asked why she chose this event she stated, “I was interested in horses and what judges would look for in them.”

Tucker took 11th in the Junior division, as well as placing 9th in the tenth-grade category.

Most students competed well and placed higher than they initially thought they would.

Many participants said learned new things about agriculture and said they had an amazing time and competed excellently.

Many are excited about the next event and are willing to put in the work to show off their skills.

 

CDE Results

Dairy Judging:

Senior Class (11-12)

Ethan Hendershot received first and third overall

Leah Kaufman received fifth place

Kacen Engle received eighth place

Brayden Aikey received fifteenth place

Junior Class (9-10)

Dominic Cozzi received fifth place

Zane Butler received twentieth place

Brennan Lynch received twenty-second place

Coltyn Wagner received twenty-seventh place

Branson Fogleman received twenty-ninth place

Livestock Judging:

Senior Class (11-12)

Briar Vlacich received second place

Junior Class (9-10)

Jillian Koenig received seventh place

Brady Brown received tenth place

Levi Eck received thirteenth place

Bryce Parker received sixteenth place

Connor Campbell received seventeenth place

Makayla Phillips received twenty-first place

Desyrae Neidig received twenty-fifth place

Equine Judging:

Junior Class (9-10)

Reagan Tucker received eleventh place

Harley Chamberlain received twelfth place

Isaiah Pepperman received sixteenth place

Jacob Schon received seventeenth place

Emma Ammerman received eighteenth place

Bethany Showers received twenty-fifth place

Breanna Lewis received twenty-ninth place

Ethan Voyten received thirtieth place

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