Nearly 1,000 FFA students from across the state descended on the Logan County Fairgrounds recently to perfected their livestock judging abilities at an Indian Lake High School/Ohio Hi Point FFA contest. For the third year, the ILHS/OHP FFA Chapter hosted the major contest locally.
Students from 79 schools across Ohio got to hone their judging skills on cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. In addition, they also participated in poultry, equine and dairy cattle contests.
ILHS/OHP FFA Advisor Kelsey King says this event is great practice prior to the State FFA Judging contest in late March. The exercises are all based on standards that the Ohio FFA and Ohio Department of Education require and the content covers material that the students need to know for a career based in livestock.
ILHS/OHP FFA members led groups to barns for judging animals in stations throughout the fairgrounds. Students had about ten minutes to rank the group of animals and fill out their test sheets. Tests were then turned in and graded by a host of experienced FFA livestock judges ranging from collegiate national team members, and Ohio State University panelists to local experts who judge national and county livestock shows. The feedback received at this contest should help students in upcoming contests and during fair season this summer.
Local farmers, including many members of the Indian Lake FFA Alumni Group, provided the animals involved in the contests.