Mark J. Schroeder Advisor
Wisner-Pilger FFA Member Repeats as Beef Division Winner of Master Showmanship Contest
Drew Feller, a fifth-year Wisner Pilger FFA member, scrambled his way to the top of the Beef Division of the State Fair Master Showmanship Contest. Feller used the knowledge and skills that he has developed in years of competing in FFA, 4-H and breed livestock shows, judging contests and learning experiences to complete the four components of the contest that lasted over the five-hour contest. 

 

Feller has worked hard to show beef at the various livestock shows and fairs over the years, which paid off in this very competitive contest. This contest was Feller’s second experience of showing lambs and hogs. During the contest he completed a 60-point written test over livestock management, and competed in a showmanship contest in beef and sheep which each contributed a maximum to his total score.

Feller received the top score in the beef portion of the contest for the second year in a row, which entitled him to an additional $300 cash prize. All contestants received $50 for participating in the contest.

Sponsors of the second annual Nebraska Master Showmanship Contest were Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Brownfield Ag Network, Earl May, Nebraska Farmer magazine, and University of Nebraska College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Christin (Brown) Kamm, Public Relations Officer of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture coordinated the planning, promotion and operation of the second annual State Fair Master Showmanship Contest.

One Goal—Student Success
Wisner Pilger FFA members have found that through setting goals, they create a vision for where they want to go and what they want to achieve today as well as in the future. Our chapter officers have set goals to be a strong chapter creating an environment where members learn through active participation in chapter and community service. Another goal is to enhance agricultural knowledge and leadership skills for all members.

 

Through all of our activities we will achieve “student success.” To meet these goals we have embarked on a variety of projects and activities through the summer and early fall of 2008. Through this period we have built leadership skills through our community service.

Leading the charge for the 2008-2009 year are our officers Drew Feller, President; Steven Heermann, Vice President; Derek Bosler,  Secretary; Kasey Rathke, Treasurer; Abby Schantz, Reporter; Austen Godbersen, Sentinel; Mitch Schweers, Parliamentarian and Brooke Fullner, Historian. To strengthen our officer team Drew, Steven, Derek, Kasey, Mitch, Abby, Austen and Brooke attended COLT (Chapter Officer Leadership Training) where we developed our goals for the year, refined Parliamentary Procedure skills, learned techniques from the State Officer team and enjoyed socializing with officers from across the state.

Another community service project that is a tradition for our Chapter is serving watermelon at the county fair. The Chapter Officers assisted staff of Citizens National Bank in Wisner in serving over 400 pounds of watermelon on Sunday afternoon at the Cuming County Fair.

Earning the right to participate in the Washington Leadership Conference is a goal that many Wisner Pilger FFA members aspire to. This summer Drew Feller, Steven Heermann, Derek Bosler, and Nathan Ruskamp were our delegates to Washington Leadership Conference. Drew and Steven attended on full scholarships and Derek and Nathan each earned partial scholarships provided by the Louis and Abby Faye Dinklage Foundation.

 

The purpose of this conference is to help members working with other members from across the nation to refine their leadership skills using the nation’s capital as the learning environment. This was the first time for all of the members to travel to Washington and all agreed that the experience was a once in a lifetime experience. They had the opportunity to tour all of the major historical sites, assist with a community service projects of harvesting vegetables for the poor and homeless, and touring the capitol.   
Each summer the Chapter Officers in conjunction with the Wisner Pilger FFA Alumni Chapter host a picnic for alumni members. 

 

This year we served barbequed prime rib sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad and root beer floats. FFA officers gave presentations on the highlights of the various summer activities that members had participated in. This year the chapter is honored to have two members who will receive their American Degrees.   American Degree recipients Dirk Schultz and Joseph Sateren were introduced and recognized for their accomplishments at the picnic.

The first official FFA activity of the school year was the freshman picnic. Each year freshmen and their parents are welcomed to the chapter with a picnic of barbequed ribeye steak sandwiched. The program for the picnic was the officers and Mr. Schroeder sharing all the programs and activities that are available for members and the benefits they will gain from participating. We are excited to have 20 freshman members this year. 

Members of the Wisner Pilger FFA Chapter were keen competitors at the Nebraska State Fair over the Labor Day weekend. Members competed by showing sheep projects. Many members also exhibited their ag mechanics projects that were completed in classes the first days of the 2008 school year.

The Kindschuh sisters continued their tradition of being very competitive in the FFA Sheep Show. Aylssa showed five lambs—three market and two breeding. The judge only gave two purples in each class with Alyssa winning third place in one of her market classes and earning five blues on her lambs. In the market carcass contest Alyssa also won a blue ribbon with an index score of 75.16, placing 42nd out of over a 100 lambs. 

Ag I students prepared antique tools that they repaired and restored. They also prepared a written report telling the history of the tool and the steps they took to restore it to useable fashion. Catlin Bak won grand champion honors on her small antique refurbished hand tool corn rake entry and a purple ribbon. Winning grand champion honors and a purple ribbon in the antique refurbished hand tool for her garden spade was Alexis Rathke.

 

Dustin Eckert also won a trophy for his refinished garden shovel. Students exhibiting in the repaired and restored tool category were: Alex Brahmer, bird house-blue ribbon; Dustin Eckert, shovel-purple ribbon; Latham Fullner, shovel-blue ribbon; Micah Fullner, ball peen hammer-blue ribbon; Zachary Johnson, post hole digger-purple ribbon; Austin Hallsted, corn knife-blue ribbon; Alexis Rathke, spade-purple ribbon; Sarah Schweers, sledgehammer-blue ribbon; Nathan Vesley, ax-blue ribbon and Zachary Johnson, post hole digger-red ribbon.

The chapter held its second annual test plot field day on September 22 where we featured our soybean and corn test plots, each with a variety of Northrup King Seed. Godersen Farms or Wisner were responsible for planting and harvesting the test plots. Central Valley Ag provided the chemicals for the project.

 

Junior FFA members were responsible for discussing the virtues of each of the soybean varieties with people from the community that attended the field day. Senior members shared information on each of the corn varieties featured in the test plot. Officers of the chapter grilled burgers and hot dogs for everyone attending.

 

Profits from the test plot project will be used as scholarships for the current Seniors in the chapter.  Drew Feller, President of the chapter served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.

Currently members in the chapter are working on sharpening their skills and knowledge related to land judging. They have learned a great deal from the test holes that have been dug by area farms for them to practice. All of the efforts of the community to support FFA learning experiences are greatly appreciated by all of the members. 

Many of our chapter activities are possible because of the generous financial support of the Louis and Abby Faye Dinklage Foundation.