FFA CDEs @ Kimball

Ryggin Meyer, Staff Writer

March 13, 2024

On March 6, 2024, the Alliance FFA Chapter took five teams to Kimball to compete in their last contest before state. These teams included Agriscience, Meats Judging, Environmental and Natural Resources, Biotechnology, and Agronomy. I interviewed two individuals from two of these teams to see how they did.
Rozlyn Wills, who was on the Meats Judging team, was my first interviewee. My first question was how her team prepared for Meats Judging. Rozlyn told me, “My team prepared for the contest by starting to study early, we had a person who knew a lot about meat help us learn retail and other parts, we came in the mornings and learned test questions, and studied hard on our own.” When asked what her contest was about, she responded with, “My contest is about knowing different cuts of meats from pigs, cattle, and lamb. you also have to know where those cuts come from in the animal. We have to place different types of meat cuts in a class and answer questions on some. For state, we will have to do PYGs (preliminary yield grades) on beef carcass class.” Rozlyn and her team had great success at districts, Rozlyn got 7th as an individual and her team as a whole got 1st!
Brooklyn Burri was on the ENR (Environmental and Natural Resources) team. I asked her how her team prepared, she responded with, “We came in during the scheduled time in the morning and practiced the prepared material.” Brooklyn told me that whenever she had downtime in class or at home she was studying for this contest. When asked what was her contest about, she said, “The Environmental and Natural Resources contest is about all aspects of the environment and wildlife. This year focused on soil and wildlife especially.” Brooklyn got 11th as an individual, receiving a red ribbon while her team got 6th as a whole.
Overall, the Alliance FFA did amazing as a whole. Now that all the contests are over, it is time for the state-qualified to prepare! I hope the contests do well as they compete more.

Results shared by Mrs. Vivion:

Biotechnology – District Champions
Kaylee Henthorn – District Champion (Purple Ribbon)
Isaac Murphy – District Runner-Up (Purple Ribbon)
Makenna Quick – Blue Ribbon
Mandie Ylander – White Ribbon

Meats Judging – District Champions
Seth Meyring – District Champion (Purple Ribbon)
Josie Sanders – District Runner-Up (Purple Ribbon)
Rozlyn Wills – Blue Ribbon
Kayel Lambert – Blue Ribbon
Shyla Salcido – Blue Ribbon

Story continues below advertisement

Agriscience – District Runner-Ups
Ryley Norris – District Champion (Purple Ribbon)
Kaci Messirsmith – District Runner-Up (Purple Ribbon)
Addison Belford
Addison Wittman

Environmental and Natural Resources – 6th Place
Ryggin Meyer – Blue Ribbon
Brooklyn Burri – Red Ribbon
Addison Belford
Addison Wittman

Agronomy
Bailey Dension
Autumn Henthorn
Jozzlynn Smith
Madison Christen
Abigal Louden

About the Contributor

Ryggin Meyer, Staff writer

Ryggin Meyer is a 15 year old sophomore who attends Alliance High school. She was born in Alliance, Nebraska at Box Butte General Hospital on July 16, 2008. Ryggin has lived in many other towns such as Rapid City, South Dakota and Rushville, Nebraska. The reason she ended up moving was because of her mom. Ryggin is currently in her second year of FFA, last year she did competitions such as CCM (Conduct of Chapter’s Meeting) and Vet Science. She made it to state in CCM and her team got bronze on the state level. A main hobby of Ryggin’s is showing dairy goats, she owns 21 dairy goats! All of her dairy goats are Lanchais, Sable Saanens, and Saanens, this is her first year showing goats by herself. Before Ryggin started showing goats by herself, she’d help her cousin, Bayleigh, showing goats. She has also shown horses, last show she went to Ryggin got Reserve Youth Ranch Champion on a horse named Sugar ‘N Grace. That horse was her aunt Sheri’s but personally she owns 2 horses, Mist who is two years old named Mist, and an eleven year old named Shorty. Ryggin is also in dance, this being her 13th year! She currently does tap, jazz, pointe, and lyrical. Ryggin loves dance and it has always been a true passion of hers since she was young, she can’t wait to see what this dance year brings! When Ryggin isn’t at school, she is helping out on the ranch or playing Roblox. Things that she does on the ranch is train her horses, work with cows, work with her dairy goats, or just lend a helpful hand. Some of the games that Ryggin likes to play epic mini games on roblox. When she finishes high school, she is hoping to go to the University of Wyoming for pre-vet and then Vet school in Colorado. She wants to study in Colorado because it is one of the nations best vet schools. The reason she wants to go to the University of Wyoming is because it has beautiful scenery. Once she graduates vet school, she is hoping to work in Riverton, Wyoming at Stock Dock Veterinary Clinic. Ryggin is wanting to move to Riverton, Wyoming in hopes of making more money. Ryggin is an all A student and hopes to continue this throughout high school. She hopes to improve her writing skills and thinks The SPUD will help with this. Ryggin can not wait to write for The SPUD this school year!