FFA Goes to Block and Bridle

Every year, Virginia Tech’s Block and Bridle Club puts on a Block and Bridle Livestock Judging event. On Feb. 23-24, the Fluvanna Future Farmers of America (FFA) Club took part in this annual event at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Fluvanna FFA has been to three livestock judging events in the past. “This event by far was our greatest event due to placings and our team members,” said Junior McKenzie Wills. “The members of this team also compete as the 4-H livestock judging team, so they definitely get the practice.”

Judging livestock is not an easy task. It entails judging various classes of cattle, lambs, goats, and hogs. You must know the parts of the animal, terms associated with that animal, correct muscling, and what an ideal animal of that species looks like.

In livestock judging, there is team and individual judging. Team judging consists of a team with three or four members who all compete individually but the scores are combined. In individual judging, one person competes and there is just that one score.

The team members who attended the livestock judging event on the 23rd and 24th were freshman Anna Snoddy, 8th Grader Alexis Wills, 8th Grader Cameron Mayo, and junior McKenzie Wills. On Feb. 23, they had a total of 997 points which put them at 50th out of 73 teams. Their individual point totals for Friday were 347 for McKenzie Wills, 343 for Snoddy, 307 for Alexis Wills, and 290 for Mayo.

On Feb. 24, the team finished 11th overall. They received 7th in cattle, 12th in swine, 12th in sheep, 13th in reasons, and 13th in questions. Individual scores were 439 for McKenzie Wills, 384 for Alexis Wills, and 349 for Mayo.

Two team members who did exceptionally well were Cameron Mayo and McKenzie Wills. Mayo finished 18th place in cattle and Wills finished 6th overall out of 93 people, 1st place in swine, 14th place in reasons, and 14th place in questions.

Overall, FFA Supervisor Russell Jennings said he is very proud of the group and individuals who attended.