By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
FFA members enjoy experiences at the Faire
58638a.jpg
58638a
Ceres and Central Valley high school FFA members donned their blue corduroy FFA jackets, held onto their freshly scrubbed and prepared animal, and tapped hours of showmanship practice to walk into the show ring with confidence at the recent Stanislaus County Fair.

During the 10-day affair, which ended July 26, Ceres students participated in a wide range of projects including dairy and beef cattle, sheep, meat goats, pigs, rabbits, poultry, ag mechanics, vegetable and plant projects. By the last day of fair, each student had unique and lasting memories of the process of raising, preparing, and showing a market or breeding animal.

Some students also entered ag mechanics projects and plant projects completed over the school year or summer.

Below is a list of the students participating from each school and any awards received for their performances

Central Valley High School's dairy cattle entries were submitted by Wynter Bratenas and Daniel Soares, who placed 8th in dairy showmanship. Beef cattle entries were submitted by Cheyanne Adney, Cherise Azevedo and Katy Gaede. Katy was awarded reserve champion commercial beef female.

CVHS FFA swine entries were submitted by Christina Crum, Jessica Berndt, Ernesto Cuevas, Dominic Dazzo, Matthew Smith and William Bailey. Bailey received the reserve champion FFA Hampshire award.

Taking sheep to the fair from CVHS were Alexis Ulloa, Luis Alvarez, Anna Kondratyuk, Kristi Eredia and Raul Gontiz. The school's sheep group earned first place for the Clean Barn Award.

Michael Rico and Amanda Fleming represented CVHS with meat goats.

Rabbit entries submitted by CVHS FFAers were from Cherise Azevedo, Katy Gaede, Cheyanne Borges, Wynter Bratenas and Christina Crum. Azevedo was awarded reserve champion single fryer and placed third in FFA showmanship. Bratenas was awarded fourth in showmanship while Gaede placed fifth in showmanship. Borges placed seventh with her senior Californian buck.

Poultry exhibits were submitted by Marlen Diaz, Wynter Bratenas, Carina Partida and Christina Crum. Crum took home the champion and reserve champion meat pens.

Central Valley FFA also earned the Ag Mechanics Sweepstakes award, FFA Ag Horticulture Sweepstakes award, and the FFA Ornamental Horticulture Sweepstakes award.

Ceres High School FFA members Conner Almeida and Bastiaan Weststeyn submitted swine entries while Stephen Ingram, Sara Macedo, Justin Stanhope, Matthew Thornberry and Brittany Turnbow represented poultry.