Students learn and earn at Beef Scholarship Extravaganza
High school students interested in cattle and beef production took home $7,650 in scholarships from the Beef Scholarship Extravaganza held earlier this month in Ames. The Extravaganza is organized and hosted by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation. Thirty-six students representing 18 teams took part in the event held at Iowa State University. Students were challenged to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in beef and cattle production management.
The Denison FFA team of Katherine Wigg and Calvin Snittler won the top award. Each of the winners receives a $1500 scholarship, sponsored by Land O’Lakes Feed. Their scholarships, and those awarded to other place winners, are eligible for matching dollars at Iowa State University and five Iowa community colleges: Kirkwood, Hawkeye, Muscatine, Des Moines Area, and Iowa Lakes.
Other team winners of scholarships are: 2nd place and $1,125 each – Shay Fehl and Natalie Hanson, LaPorte-Dysart FFA; 3rd place and $750 each - Elizabeth Tabor and Grant Lapke, Maquoketa FFA Veterans; and 4th place and $450 each – Dustin Smith and Tayler Etzel, two friends who partnered together for the competition under the name TD Cattle Company. The scholarship awards for these three places were sponsored, respectively, by Farm Credit Services of America, the Iowa Beef Breeds Council, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation.
Team scoring took place at 10 different stations that tested specific skills and knowledge of the students. Teams scoring the highest number of points at each station were also awarded plaques sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America. They were:
- Handling and Health - Shay Fehl and Natalie Hanson, LaPorte Dysart FFA #2
- Nutrition - Nate Ketelsen and Alex Vary, Denison FFA #3
- Marketing – Shay Fehl and Natalie Hanson, LaPorte Dysart FFA #2
- Seedstock Merchandising - Elizabeth Tabor and Grant Lapke, Maquoketa FFA Veterans
- Keep/Cull Replacement Heifers - Shay Fehl and Natalie Hanson, LaPorte Dysart FFA #2
- Job Interview - Gatlin Heinzroth, Alex Wibholm and Amy Monroe, Iowa Falls-Alden FFA Team A
- Industry Issues - Peyton Greiner, Josh Sterling and Dave Vetter, Pekin FFA
- Reproduction - Adam Nahnsen and Caleb Schroeder, Denison FFA #2
- Credit and Finance- Joe Dinan and Nick Boehm, Valley High School
- Beef Management – Adam Nahnsen and Caleb Schroeder, Denison FFA #2
Overall Placings:
- 1st Place: Katharina Wigg and Calvin Snittler, Denison FFA #1
- 2nd Place: Shay Fehl and Natalie Hanson, LaPorte Dysart FFA #2
- 3rd Place: Elizabeth Tabor and Grant Lapke, Maquoketa FFA Veterans
- 4th Place: Dustin Smith and Tayler Etzel, TD Cattle Company
Contestants in the 2011-12 Youth Beef Extravaganza
Denison FFA team members working through the Reproduction Station
Dr. Terry Engelken, Iowa State University, talks through
the Health Station with participants
Students work on a Nutrition Station problem together