Local FFA chapters host judging events

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:41

A group of contestants inspect chicken carcasses as one element of the poultry judging contest hosted Thursday by the Marion FFA chapter at the county fairgrounds in Hillsboro. Some 200 students from 16 school participated, according to Mark Meyer, Marion FFA adviser.

FFA contestants evaluate a group of four post-production hens during the South Central District career development events Thursday in Hillsboro.

The Marion and Hillsboro FFA chapters hosted separate South Central District career development events Thursday in Hillsboro.

In the morning, Marion FFA members hosted the poultry event at the Marion County Fairgrounds with about 200 students from 16 schools competing.

The event was officiated and coordinated by Dennis Mason, who is affiliated with the extension service from Arkansas Univer­sity. Some of the birds provided for the event were provided by Cal-Maine Foods from Chase.

Participants in the event were required to:

• evaluate and place two classes of chickens;

• identify 15 retail cuts of chicken;

• use a candling light to examine the interior of eggs for defects;

• evaluate two classes of processed breaded poultry meat cuts for their retail suitability;

• place a carcass class on a set of 10 broiler carcasses;

• evaluate a class of eggs for exterior defects and grade them;

• take a written test;

• complete a team problem-solving activity.

FFA members from Marion served as group leaders and helped set up and take down the contest.

Marion had teams compete in the A team and B team divisions. Marion’s A team placed sixth. Winfield won the contest and Hillsboro placed 10th among 10 teams.

Among the five Greenhand (freshmen) teams entered, Hillsboro placed fourth with Maggie Liles placing second individually.

Later, the Hillsboro FFA hosted a horse-judging event. Deb Geis and Jamie Peters coordinated the event and Lauren Geis and Lisa Geis helped as horse handlers and riders. Olivia Kliewer, a 2012 FFA graduate, provided a horse and assisted as a handler.

Moundridge won the team title; Peabody Burns placed fifth. Area schools were not represented in the Greenhand team competition nor among the individual top 10 finishers.

Hillsboro FFA students helped with concessions, and several mothers and FFA alums assisted with tabulation.