The Osmond FFA Chapter took their animal science knowledge from the classroom to the arena on Wednesday, Jan. 28, competing in the District IV FFA Livestock Judging Career Development Event (CDE) held at the Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex in Norfolk.
The competition challenged students to evaluate and rank eight classes of beef cattle, swine, sheep, and meat goats. Participants were ranked on their ability to identify desirable traits in both market and breeding animals, considering factors such as muscling, structure, and volume.
“Livestock judging isn’t just about picking the best animal; it’s about understanding the USDA standards and industry trends that drive our agricultural economy,” said Jessica Evans, Osmond FFA Advisor.
A critical component of the event for many members was the oral reasons session. After placing their classes, students stepped into a room with official judges to verbally defend their decisions. Contestants were scored on their accuracy, terminology, and confidence, with a maximum of 50 points available for each set of reasons.
The Osmond FFA Junior Team placed sixth overall earning a purple ribbon in a field of 19 schools. Individual highlights included: Payton Stech, 16th place out of 127 contestants earning a purple ribbon; Clara Steinkraus, 22nd place earning a blue ribbon; Kenley Friedrich, 35th place earning a blue ribbon, and Nevaeh Newton, 37th place earning a blue ribbon.
The Osmond FFA Senior Team placed 14th overall, earning a red ribbon in a field of 18 schools. The senior team consisted of Caleb Vinson, Nick Kumm, Dawson Gansebom, and Ashlyn Spangler. Individual highlights included: Caleb Vinson, 29th place out of 109 contestants earning a blue ribbon.
"Giving reasons is definitely the most nerve-wracking part, but it helps you build public speaking and critical thinking skills that you’ll use in any career,” said Ashlyn Spangler, who competed in the senior division.
