Sidney's FFA - Senior Division Wins 1st Place at 2022 Area 1 Range Judging Contest

SCOTTSBLUFF – Approximately 150 students met in Scottsbluff for the 2022 Area 1 Range Judging Contest on September 14, 2022. Sidney’s FFA Senior Division Team won First Place with teammates Zoe Fornander, Emily Miller, Ty Grunig, and Josette McConnell. Sidney’s other Senior Division Team with teammates Sidney Allard, Rylee McManis, Joslyn Bertrand, and Peyton Sprenger came in third.

Range Judging is a high school competition that challenges students to gain a better understanding of Nebraska rangelands which make up half of the State’s land area. Range Judging enables each participant to learn how to recognize range plants, range sites and the need for proper grazing practices.

NRDs work with the Society for Range Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service and UNL Extension to host Range Judging contests all over the state each September. This year’s Area 1 competition was hosted by North Platte Natural Resources District.

Fifteen schools participated in the contest including Creek Valley and Sidney from South Platte Natural Resources District. Creek Valley competed in the Junior Division; however, they did not place in the top four. Team members were Chloa Ningen, Mason Timm, Ava Frass, and Colten Ringer. Team and Individual results were:

Senior Division-Team

First Place: Sidney FFA

Second Place: Cody-Kilgore

Third Place: Sidney FFA

Fourth Place: Banner County FFA

Senior Division-Individual

First Place: Zoe Fornander (Sidney FFA)

Second Place: Becca Reece (Sioux County FFA)

Third Place: Dylan Naslund (Cody-Kilgore)

Fourth Place: Ryal Baldwin (Morrill-Mitchell FFA)

Junior Division-Team

First Place: Chadron

Second Place: Scottsbluff FFA

Third Place: Chadron

Fourth Place: Banner County FFA

Junior Division-Individual

First Place: Isaac Olsen (Banner County FFA)

Second Place: Owen Wesi (Chadron)

Third Place: Jace Lein (Chadron)

Fourth Place: James Koerber (Chadron)

Adult Division

First Place: Seth Schuessler (Sidney FFA)

Second Place: Justin Nollette (Cody-Kilgore)

The State Range Judging Contest will be held September 29, 2022, with a practice date of September 28th in the Chadron area.  For more information, please contact coordinator Tricia Goes, Upper Niobrara White NRD, at (308) 432-6190 or [email protected].

Instructors:

Sidney: Montana Markus, Ag Education/FFA Advisor 

Seth Schuessler, Science Education 

Creek Valley: Sarah Whiting, VoAg