The Black River FFA Chapter proudly showcased their skills at the State Spring Career Development Events held on March 22 at the Ohio State Exposition Center in Columbus. Fourteen members participated in two competitive areas: poultry management and general livestock judging, demonstrating their expertise and dedication.
The General Livestock Judging contest required members to critically assess breeding and market classes for sheep, goats, swine, and beef cattle. Additionally, competitors answered conformation and production questions for each livestock class, completed a current market grid, and took a comprehensive 50-question written exam. Representing Black River, Addison Flynn placed 95th individually, followed by teammates Charlie Hollan at 289th, Adalee Hollan at 291st, Rylee Howard at 582nd, and Parker Broadsword at 718th. Together, their collective effort earned the team a commendable 63rd place statewide. Thank you to Jeremy Bradford for coaching the team.
In Poultry Management, participants demonstrated their abilities in selecting top-quality poultry, accurately identifying cuts of meat, evaluating processed poultry products, and completing a rigorous written exam. Emma McCann led the team, ranking 73rd individually, with teammates Savanna Landrum at 114th, Peter Howard at 126th, and Olivia Bailey at 129th, earning the group a solid 21st place overall.
A highlight of the event was the remarkable performance by the Black River Middle School poultry team, who secured the State Championship title. Team members excelled individually, with Kade Kelso placing 4th, Aidan Sas 6th, Dagur Charlton 7th, Caleb Howard 11th, and David Bryant 19th. Their outstanding accomplishment will be formally recognized at the Ohio FFA State Convention in May.
Congratulations to all members for their exceptional performance and for representing the Black River FFA Chapter with pride during the Spring Invitational season!
By Rylee Howard