Nearly 1,000 FFA students from across the state perfected their livestock judging abilities at an Indian Lake High School/Ohio Hi Point FFA contest this week.
For the second year, the ILHS/OHP FFA Chapter hosted the major contest at the Logan County Fairgrounds.
Students from 73 schools across Ohio got to hone their judging skills on cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. In addition, they also participated in poultry and dairy cattle contests.
Finally, other students who concentrate on horses participated in a simultaneous equine judging contest held at Marmon Valley Farm.
ILHS/OHP FFA Adviser Tanner Schoen said 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.
LHS/OHP FFA members led groups to barns for judging animals in stations throughout the fairgrounds. Students had about 10 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.
Last year was the first year that the ILHS/OHP FFA Chapter hosted the contest and response was very positive, resulting in about 20 more schools and 200 more students participating in this year’s event.
Local farmers, including many members of the Indian Lake FFA Alumni Group, provided the animals involved in the contests.