FFA second at state range judging event

The Carrington FFA Range Management Teams competed at the State Range Judging event in Mandan on Thursday, September 21.

The team consisting of Karlee Lesmann, Brekka Kuss, Molly Hansen, Joe Lindberg, Ashley Lindberg, and Cyrena Kuss placed second, earning a gold team award.

Individually, Molly Hansen was the fifth place individual, and Joe Lindberg was the ninth place individual. Ashley Lindberg also received a gold award. Karlee Lesmann, Cyrena Kuss and Brekka Kuss 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.