Satanta FFA Results From The Western National Stock Show
By Heddlesten, Melvin
January 12, 2012
The members of the Satanta FFA Chapter once again maintained their elite status as one of the few nationally ranked FFA chapters in the state of Kansas. The students attended and competed in the educational event sponsored by the Western National Livestock Show and Rodeo in conjunction with Colorado State University and the University of Wyoming. The four members of the Satanta FFA chapter attending the event were E. Stalker, A. Caro, K. Blankenship, and A. Evans. Satanta earned the right to compete by participating in the state FFA judging contest and being crowned the reserve champion team over the other 160 FFA chapters that participated. The students paid their own expenses to attend the event in Denver by fund raising in their local community and with the help of some very generous sponsors. Satanta placed third as a team behind Texas and North Dakota. A. Caro placed 4th, A. Evans 6th, E. Stalker and K. Blankenship tied for 9th as individuals and each of the students received a $250.00 scholarship to attend Colorado State University. The competition tested the students’ knowledge of food safety, evaluating wholesale meat products, identification of retail cuts, and their skill at applying the USDA standards concerning quality grading and yield grading beef cattle. Members of the Satanta FFA chapter will also be attending the National Land Judging event in May hosted by Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce making them one the few FFA chapters in the state of Kansas to attend two national competitions in the same calendar year. The team would like to thank the USD 507 Board of Education and school superintendent Mrs. Ardith Dunn and the students’ parents for making it possible for them to participate in this once in life time opportunity. The Agricultural Education instructor at Satanta High School is Mel Heddlesten.
