FFA Participates in Range Judging

September 18, 2015

32 members of the Diller-Odell FFA chapter and 6 junior high students participated in the Range Judging contest on September 10^th. The contest was held in Adams County near Hastings. The participants were required to identify twenty-four different range plants by their common name and list the life form, life span, origin, season of growth, forage value, and root growth form of each.  They also evaluated the range condition of three sites, calculated livestock stocking rates, and determined pasture improvement practices.

The Diller-Odell teams in the senior division received 2^nd and 4^th place of 19 teams. The team of Katie Schultis, Cody Scheele, Ethan Rupprect, and Theresa Zarybnicky earned 2^nd place. Bladen Ahl, Katie Zarybnicky, Joslyn Edmond, and Reese Hennerberg placed 4^th.

In the junior division, Diller-Odell teams took 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th of the twenty-five teams. The team of Jesse Scheele, Adam Schultis, Spencer Schmidt, and Ryan Arnold received 2^nd place. The 3^rd place team consisted of Bryston Warren, Kaleb Rupprecht, Kelsay Schlictman, and Morgan Phillips. Ashtyn Humphreys, Tucker Martin, Kyliegh Barnts, and Melina Kostal made up the 4^th place team. Neleigh Weers, Nicolaus Engelman, Hannah Oltmans, and William McLaughlin were on the 5^th place team.

Of the 67 participants in the senior division, 5 Diller-Odell members individually placed in the top ten. Katie Schultis placed 2^nd, Bladen Ahl placed 6^th, Cody Scheele placed 8^th, Ethan Rupprecht placed 9^th, and Theresa Zarybnicky placed 10^th.

Of the 90 participants in the junior division, 6 Diller-Odell students individually placed in the top ten. Jesse Scheele placed 4^th, Adam Schultis placed 5^th, Bryston Warren placed 6^th, Kaleb Rupprecht placed 7^th, Neleigh Weers placed 9^th, and Kelsay Schlichtman placed 10^th. Also receiving a ribbon for being in the top 25% in the junior division are Spencer Schmidt, Ashtyn Humphreys, and Tucker Martin.

Other participants included Dylan Wolbert, Bailey Schroeder, Marquis Weers, Cory Engelman, Jonathan Schmidt, Madison Hajek, Corina Lottman, Andrew Hamel, TJ Schroeder, Tyler Rash, Kirsten Bures, Caleb Schultis, Ashley Yocum, and Christopher Schmidt.