COLUMBIA — Columbia's FFA chapter placed first in the Livestock, Forestry and Nursery/Landscaping Career Development Events at the 81st Missouri FFA Convention, according to news releases from the Missouri State FFA Convention.
Participants in the Livestock contest evaluated beef, sheep and swine using performance records and physical appraisals.
Winning team members were Brianne Abramovitz, Zacchary Kerley, Cooper Martin and Andrew Perry. Martin placed first, Perry placed second, Kerley placed 24th and Abramovitz 37th out of 218 individuals.
The advisers were Chuck Miller, Kevin Duncan, Larry Henneke and Sherie Rodekohr.
Participants in the Forestry test had to be proficient in tree equipment identification, forest management, forestry applications and also take a general knowledge exam.
The winning team members were Kody Henneke, Andrew Pestle, Josh Remus and Matt Terry. Henneke and Remus tied for second placed, Terry ranked ninth and Pestle placed 17th out of 144.
All participants received a Group I rating.
The advisers were Chuck Miller, Kevin Duncan, Larry Henneke and Sherie Rodekohr.
The winning team members of the Nursery/Landscaping event were Katlyn Britt Rankin, Russ Chambers, Brady Chasteen and Will Garrett. Rankin ranked 14th, Chambers placed third, Chasteen placed eighth and Garrett placed 13th out of 148 individuals.
The advisers were Chuck Miller, Kevin Duncan, Larry Henneke
and Sherie Rodekohr.
Individuals in this event are scored on their knowledge of production,
marketing, utilization and culture of landscape plants. Students use
the information they learn in their horticulture and landscape design
classes.
Elizabeth Holle, a senior at the Columbia Career Center High School, was also named the state winner of the FFA Small Animal Production and Care Entrepreneurship and Placement award there.
The Missouri FFA has 24,410 members representing 317 chapters. The national organization has more than 507,000 members representing 7,439 chapters in 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.