The following is a press Release for the Chelan High School Agriculture Education Department and the Chelan FFA. We would appreciate any and all coverage of our events and student successes. For more information, contact our Chapter Advisor, Rod Cool, or Chapter Reporter, Mitch Guimond at (509) 682-4061 ext 129 during school hours.

Thank you for your time and consideration and for your continued support of the Chelan FFA and high school agriculture education.

Chelan High School

Agriculture Education Deparment/Chelan FFA

News Release

9 Sep 08

For Immediate Release –The Chelan County Fair was one of the most successful fairs for the Chelan FFA Chapter in recent years. Chelan FFA members are no strangers to the winner’s circle or championship drive but this fair they gathered in a bushel basket full of round ribbons and banners.

In the FFA Still Life building, Matt Pittsinger earned the Grand Champion Rosette for his horticulture display of three varieties of wine grapes from his Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) project at Karma Winery. Zaren Sandum earned the Reserve Grand Champion Rosette for the Fuji Apples he exhibited. Breanne Hanson and Austin Habich earn Grand and Reserve Grand Champion awards respectively for the weed mount books that they produced in their Advanced Agriscience course in the Chelan Ag Ed program. Andrew Jones earned the second grand champion ribbon in a row in the Agriculture Mechanics division for the solid cedar loveseat rocker he built in Ag Manufacturing class.

In the horticulture building, Tyler Clark and Wesley Field exhibited apple trays in the open division. Tyler received 1^st place rosette for Honey Crisp, and 2^nd place rosettes for Fujis and Goldens. Wesley received 1^st place rosette for Fuji, 2^nd place rosettes for Reds and Honey Crisp, and a 3^rd place rosette for Goldens.

The success continued in the livestock barns. In the beef barn, Kaylee Robelia earned the Beef Rate of Gain Grand Champion Award, Grand Champion Market Steer, and Reserve Grand Champion FFA Beef Supreme Showman. Tucker Cool completed his work as the Chelan County Fair Ambassador with a Reserve Champion Beef Rate of Gain, Reserve Champion Market Steer, Grand Champion Beef Fitting and Showing, Reserve Round Robin FFA Overall Showman. He earned the trophy and $25 check for FFA Beef Supreme Showman and the Belt Buckle and $100 for earning the FFA Overall Supreme Showman. Sammi Jo Cool, earned the Reserve Grand Champion Beef Fitting and Showing Rosette.

In the Swine Barn, all the Chelan members did extremely well winning blue ribbons on all their market hogs. Jorge Villasenor won the Reserve Champion Rosette in the feeder class. Breanne Hanson, Tyler Clark, and Blake Soreano all had pigs in the championship drive. When the judge had sorted out the 17 pigs in the finals, the duroc barrow that Breanne had raised since May was the one that he felt was the best at the fair earning her the Grand Champion Market Hog Rosette. Gerrick Lutz and Breanne Hanson both qualified for the finals drive in the Swine Fitting and Showing. After all was said and done with the swine show, Breanne had earned the trophy and check for the FFA Swine Supreme Showman.

In the Meat Goat Division, four member raised and exhibited meat goat wethers (casterated male). This was the first year for raising boer goats. Sammi Jo Cool and Jeff Weathersby both made the final round for the Goat Fitting and Showing. Sammi Jo won the Grand Champion Rosette for Rate of Gain and won the trophy and check for FFA Goat Supreme Showman. Tucker Cool was the Reserve Grand Champion Goat Supreme Showman.

The members also competed in five Career Development Events: Livestock, Poultry, Horse, Tractors, and Produce. In the Livestock CDE, they earned the second place banner with Tucker Cool 6th, Jorge Villasenor 7th, and Breanne Hanson 8^th individually. The Tractor Driving team also earned a second place banner with Zac Sandum 4th, Zaren Sandum 6th, and Tyler Clark 5^th individually. The Poultry Team also earned a second place banner with Jorge Villasenor 3^rd, Sammi Jo Cool 5^th, Breanne Hanson 7^th, and Blake Soreano 10^th overall. The Produce Judging Team earned a 1^st place banner with Zac Sandum 2^nd and Breanne Hanson 4^th overall. The Horse team placed 5^th with Sammi Jo Cool placing 7^th overall.

The Chelan Chapter will wind up their fall fair season over the next couple weeks competing the State FFA Horse CDE and livestock and tractor CDEs at the Adams County Fair in Othello. Then the next week traveling to Puyallup for the State Tractor CDE and livestock and dairy CDEs at the Washington State FFA Exposition at the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup.

Photo Caption:

Kaylee Robelia and Tucker Cool with the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Market Steers at the Chelan County Fair in Cashmere.

Photo Caption:

Breanne Hanson showing her Grand Champion Market Hog in the Championship drive at the Chelan County Fair.