By MACKENZIE KEPHART
Moapa Valley Progress
For the first time since 1989, the Moapa Valley FFA Chapter sent a team to compete in the National FFA Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event in Indianapolis, Indiana. The local team had the honor to move on to compete at the national level after winning at the Nevada FFA State Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event last April.
The team consisted of Shyanne Matheson, Avery Stratton, Ryan McMurray, and Mackenzie Kephart. Chapter advisors Denise and Kevin O’Toole, and past chapter member Hayley Hall also travelled with the team and attended the event.
The team left on Tuesday, October 22 for the airport to take a 6:30 a.m. flight to Indianapolis. The Convention and Expo ran from October 23 through November 2. FFA members from all across the country made up the conglomeration of over 69,000 FFA members in attendance at the expo.
The livestock evaluation event began on Wednesday morning where contestants began the two-day contest with a written test. Contests began the day with a live Angus bull placing class. The contestants used the same bull class for the livestock genetics and live questions class portions of the event. After placing the bull class and taking notes, contestants moved back into the classroom to finish the rest of the written tests. Contestants completed a livestock genetics written test and a video marketing test. Contestants also completed a multiple-choice test and a team activity of questions based on the bull class.
The second stage of the contest began on Thursday morning. Contestants spent the whole day judging and placing livestock and giving oral reasons on their placings. Each contestant judged eight live classes of livestock throughout the day; judging the livestock on their breeding and market capability.
Contestants placed and judged; one class each of market does, breeding ewes,market lambs, breeding heifers, market steers. Three classes of hogs were judged.
The contestants used four of those classes for the oral reasons component of the event. They gave oral reasons to four different judges, all experts in the livestock community.
The event officially ended with an awards banquet on Friday morning where each team received awards and placings. Moapa Valley FFA came away with a team bronze medal and a ranking of 39 out of 45 teams. Ryan McMurray received a silver individual award. Shyanne Matheson, Avery Stratton, and Mackenzie Kephart each received bronze awards.
“It was an honor for my students to be able to compete at Nationals,” said Denise O’Toole. “I was proud of their efforts and preparation.”
