Prairie Grove Livestock Judging Team Wins State

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove High School’s FFA Livestock Judging Team won the state championship earlier this month at the University of Arkansas and will advance to the national competition in the fall.

Team members are Whitney Walker, Kinder Harlow, Mason Walker and Chandler Rhein. Whitney Walker was named the overall high individual in the livestock judging competition.

Arkansas FFA held its State Career Development Event Final Competitions on April 13-14. The national conference will be held in October in Indianapolis.

Prairie Grove’s FFA Chapter has had lots of success over the years, said FFA sponsor and agriculture teacher David Hays.

“A state championship is huge,” he said, noting the level of competition is high at the state events. Arkansas has 14,000 FFA members and schools do not compete based on size, as compared to athletic events through the Arkansas Activities Association.

A state championship in an FFA event is comparable to winning state titles in football, basketball and other AAA sponsored activities, Hays said.

Along with the Livestock Judging Team, two other Prairie Grove teams finished in third place in their events.

The Nursery/Landscaping Judge Team members were Haylie West, Katie Bryan, Sarah Cunningham and Alley Jackson. West was the overall high individual in the nursery/landscape competition.

Members of the Meats Judging Team also finished third: Mark Dorey, Paul Cole and Lexi Peoples.

Hays said the Livestock Judging Team would leave the school at 3:30-4 a.m. many mornings to travel all over the country competing and preparing for the district and state competitions.

Only the top teams advance from district to state. To go to the next level, nationals, teams must finish in first place.

“I’m proud of all these kids,” Hays said. “There’s no question about the number of hours they’ve put in.”

PHOTOS BY LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Prairie Grove’s FFA Livestock Judging Team finished first in the State Career Development Final Competition, held April 13-14 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Members are Chandler Rhein, left, Mason Walker, Whitney Walker and Kinder Harlow. The team will advance to the national competition in the fall.

Prairie Grove High students Katie Bryan, left, Alley Jackson, Haylie West and Sarah Cunningham came in third overall in nursery/landscape judging in the state finals held earlier this month at the University of Arkansas. They are members of Prairie Grove’s FFA Chapter.

Prairie Grove FFA’s Meats Judging team finished third in state at the Arkansas FFA final competitions held at the University of Arkansas. Team members are Paul Cole, left, Lexi Peoples and Mark Dorey.