FFA Participates in Range Judging
Thirty five members of the Diller-Odell FFA Chapter and five junior high students participated in the area range judging contest held at Rock Creek Station. The event was sponsored by the Little Blue NRD, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Cooperative Extension. The participants were required to identify twenty-four different range plants by their common name and to 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 determine pasture improvement practices.
In the junior division, the team of Jesse Scheele, Kaleb Rupprecht, Kelsay Schlichtman, and Bryston Warren earned top honors by placing first out of not only sixteen junior teams, but also top overall out of thirty four junior and senior teams. The team of Tucker Martin, Neleigh Weers, Ashtyn Humphreys, and Kyleigh Barnts placed second, with the team of Jadyn Schultis, Samantha Clifford, Emily Swanson, and Ashley Yocum placing third. The team of Ryan Arnold, Morgan Phillips, Kirsten Bures, and Haley Jones placed fourth. The team of Korey Theye, Hannah Oltmans, Christopher Schmidt, and Adrian Newby placed fifth, following right behind was the team of Addison Heidemann,Turner Faxon, Tori Smith, and William McLaughlin placed sixth. In the senior division, the team of Joslyn Edmond, Adam Schultis, Spencer Schmidt, and Dylan Wolbert placed first.The team of Caleb Schultis, Jonathan Schmidt, Christian McCown, and Andrew Hamel placed fourth.
Out of 59 participants, individual recognition and ribbons in the junior division were awarded to Jesse Scheele for first place; Ashley Yocum for second; Kaleb Rupprecht placed third; Tucker Martin placed fourth; Ryan Arnold placed fifth; Kelsey Schlichtman placed 6th, Neleigh Weers placed 7th, Emily Swanson placed 8th, Korey Theye placed 9th, Morgan Phillips placed 10th, Bryston Warren placed 11th, Ashtyn Humphreys placed 12th, Samantha Clifford placed 13th, Kyleigh Barnts placed 14th, Addison Heidemann placed 15th, Turner Faxon placed 16th, Jadyn Schultis placed 17th, Kirsten Bures placed 22nd, Hannah Oltmans placed 23rd, Tori Smith placed 25th, Christopher Schmidt placed 33rd, Hayley Jones placed 34th, Adrian Newby placed 43rd, and William McLaughlin placed 45th.
Out of 49 participants in the senior division, Joslyn Edmond placed first, Adam Schultis placed fourth, Cory Engelman placed 6th, Spencer Schmidt placed 7th, Caleb Schultis placed 12th, Jonathan Schmidt placed 13th, Christian McCown placed 14th, Dylan Wolbert placed 20th, Tyler Rash placed 22nd, and Andrew Hamel placed 23rd.
Two junior teams and two senior teams attended the state contest, this year held by the town of Lincoln. The junior teams all did well, with the team consisting of Jesse Scheele, Kaleb Rupprecht, Kelsey Schlichtman, and Ashley Yocum placed fifth, and the team of Bryston Warren, Neleigh Weers, Christopher Schmidt, and Haley Jones placed 31th out of 53 teams. The senior team of Spencer Schmidt, Jonathan Schmidt, Joslyn Edmond, and Adam Schultis placed 17th, and the other team of Dylan Wolbert, Cory Engelman, and Caleb Schultis placed 22nd out of 57 teams.
Individual recognition at state went to Jesse Scheele placed 12th, and Bryston Warren place 15th, and Keleb Rupprecht placed 33rd, and Kelsay Schlichtman placed 56th, all out of 182 participants in the junior division. In the senior division Spencer Schmidt placed 36th, and Dylan Wolbert placed 42nd, and Cory Engelman placed 54th, all out of 191.