Heights FFA Win State Meats CDE; Advances to Nationals
Fourteen Hamilton Heights FFA members were among the 29 Senior Teams and 107 Individuals who competed at the State Meats Evaluation Contest last month. The contest was held at Purdue University in the Land O’Lakes Pavilion.
The students did well with the majority placing themselves among the Top 25 individually or as a team. Hamilton Heights Gold Team, consisting of Madison McLendon, Quentin Derrer, Lauren Happel, and Maddie Shively, brought home a first place finish advancing to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado.
Meats Evaluation Career Development Event (CDE) is designed for members to dive into meat science. During this event, students evaluate beef carcasses for quality and yield grade; place classes of wholesale (primal) and retail cuts; and identify wholesale and/or retail cuts of beef, pork, and lamb.
The results are as follows:
HH FFA Gold (State Champions)
Madison McLendon (1st Individual Overall), Quentin Derrer (3rd Individual Overall), Lauren Happel (4th Individual Overall), and Maddie Shively (29th Individual)
HH FFA Blue (5th place team)
Joani Swinford (17th Individual), Lily Schuler (18th Individual), Ellie Miller (23rd Individual), and Tanner Penwell
HH FFA Orange (22nd place team)
Tyler Drummond, Nathan Vann, Jackson McLendon, and Autumn Roberts
HH FFA Juniors
Colton Hoane (16th individually) and Bentley Michael
“This year has been a whirlwind for Husky FFA,” said Hamilton Heights Agriculture Educator and FFA Advisor Emilie Carson, after the contest, “We advanced to National Livestock Skillathon, took on Denver for National Livestock Judging and in the midst of all that, we had to work in meats evaluation practice. These members stuck through the madness with me and put in the time outside of practice. It shows. I am so proud of their accomplishments. The madness continues as we await another trip to Denver and continue to practice meats!”