FFA competes at State Range Judging

The Carrington FFA Range Management Team competed at the State Range Judging event in Tioga on Thursday, September 19.

The team, consisting of Molly Hansen, Laura Krause, Cyrena Kuss and Kenleigh Hinrichs, placed fifth, earning a silver team award.

Individually, Cyrena Kuss was the ninth-place individual, and Molly Hansen was the 11th place individual, both receiving gold awards. Laura Krause and Kenleigh Hinrichs earned silver individual awards.

The Range Management Career Development Event consists of judging three sites to determine the range site and similarity index. Contestants then evaluate the site for beef cattle production by determining forage value, degree of use, slope, terrain, wood canopy cover and stocking rate. Sharp-tailed grouse site evaluation follows, in which the contestants determine nesting cover, food habitat and protective cover.

Contestants complete the site evaluation by recommending beef cattle and sharp-tailed grouse management practices.

The contest also consists of two sites in which students identify fifteen range plants at each site and determine life span, season of growth, grazing response to cattle, plant origin, food resource for sharp-tailed grouse, cover for sharp-tailed grouse and food resource for cattle.