The following students recently submitted their state champion proficiency to be judged at the national level. They will now be competing for a top four placing. Only four national finalists are selected in each category each year. Ryan Pribil in Diversified Ag Production, Tyler Trotter in Goat Production, and Kaden Mitchell in Turf grass Management.
CONTACT: Trevor Lucas 405-743-5498
Hennessey FFA Member Earns Diversified Agricultural Production State Proficiency Award
By Sarah Palmer, Media Intern
OKLAHOMA CITY — Ryan Pribil of the Hennessey FFA Chapter earned first-place honors in the 2020 Oklahoma FFA Diversified Agricultural Production Proficiency Award area during the Oklahoma FFA Virtual Awards Ceremony on May 12.
Victoria Gerken of the Kingfisher FFA Chapter and Joel Pecha of the Timberlake FFA Chapter earned second- and third-place honors, respectively.
Pribil said his supervised agricultural experience project in diversified agriculture production included raising and purchasing cattle, working on a hemp farm, assisting with the wheat harvest, and renting 80 acres of farmland to raise wheat on.
“When I first started helping on our family farm I had to watch, ask questions, and learn every day,” Pribil said.
Pribil said he has learned and grown a lot in his different operations since he began.
After graduation, Pribil plans to get his bachelor’s degree in animal science at Oklahoma State University.
The diversified agricultural production proficiency award is designed to recognize students who are involved in a SAE using the best management practices available to produce and market efficiently a combination of two or more livestock- and crop-related proficiencies. The student must be involved in at least one livestock proficiency and one crop-related proficiency.
Pribil is the son of Roger and Cindy Pribil. His agricultural education instructor and FFA adviser is Jorge Huizar.
Virgil and Renee Murray, Kurt and Debbra Murray, Jim and Carla Pilkington, and Canadian Valley Ranch sponsor this award on the state level. The national sponsor is Ram Trucks. The $1,000 state winner scholarship is sponsored by Nelda Matthews in memory of Bill Matthews.
FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. With 26,786 members and 365 chapters, the Oklahoma FFA Association is the fourth-largest state FFA association. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the Oklahoma FFA, visit okffa.org.
CONTACT: Trevor Lucas
405-743-5498
Hennessey FFA Member Earns Goat Production Proficiency Award
By Tanna Frizzell, Media Intern
OKLAHOMA CITY – Tyler Trotter of the Hennessey FFA Chapter earned first-place honors in the 2020 Oklahoma FFA Goat Production Proficiency Award area during the Oklahoma FFA Virtual Awards Ceremony on May 12.
Jaycie Martin of the Afton FFA Chapter and Nicole Bohn of the Cement FFA Chapter earned second- and third-place honors, respectively.
Trotter said he began raising Boer goats by keeping his show does after they had completed their show career. He slowly started buying other genetics to improve the herd’s bloodlines, targeting the show market, he added.
“I not only had to know how to properly raise Boer goats but also how to market my kids and value-added products to customers,” Trotter said. “By attending workshops, researching information on the internet, and obtaining knowledge in my agricultural education classes I was able to develop a business plan.”
Trotter said he utilizes online sales, social media and word of mouth to market his herd. He also shows many of his own goats to increase visibility, he said.
After graduation, Trotter plans on going to college then returning to his operation to continue raising goats.
The goat production proficiency award is designed to recognize students who are involved in a supervised agricultural experience that involves the use of the best management practices available to produce and market all goat products efficiently. SAEs related to goat production include, but are not limited to, raising goats, breeding goats, showing goats, marketing goat produce to local grocers and suppliers, and advocating for the goat industry.
Trotter is the son of David and Sheila Trotter. His agricultural education instructor and FFA adviser is Jorge Huizar.
This award is sponsored on the state level by Pfeiffer Farms and Show Rite Feeds. The $1,000 state winner scholarship is sponsored by Schneberger Show Goats. This event is sponsored on the national level by Bekaert Corporation and Tractor Supply Company.
FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. With 26,786 members and 365chapters, the Oklahoma FFA Association is the fourth-largest state FFA association. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the Oklahoma FFA, visit okffa.org.
Hennessey FFA Member Earns Turf Grass Management State Proficiency Award
By Tanna Frizzell, Media Intern
OKLAHOMA CITY – Kaden Mitchell of the Hennessey FFA Chapter earned first-place honors in the 2020 Oklahoma FFA Turf Grass Management Proficiency Award area during the Oklahoma FFA Virtual Awards Ceremony on May 12.
Justin Branen of the Collinsville FFA Chapter and Emma Huffman of the Adair FFA Chapter earned second- and third-place honors, respectively.
Mitchell owns and operates Mitchell Lawn Service, which is a lawn care business. His business has grown in size and equipment over the years.
“The single greatest challenge I faced is my financial responsibility from the beginning,” Mitchell said. “This meant reinvesting my profits into equipment upgrades. Equipment is expensive, so in order to save money, I began to research price differences and purchase new equipment during the winter months when lawn care equipment is on sale.”
Over the last five years, Mitchell said he has established respect and trust from customers through the quality of his work. He said he has proven himself to be competent in all aspects of entrepreneurship and has demonstrated he can handle the business while also managing three employees.
Mitchell is the son of Jill Mitchell. His agricultural education instructor and FFA adviser is Jorge Huizar.
A turf grass management supervised agricultural experience typically involves the planting and maintaining of turf for outdoor beautification, owning a lawn-mowing service, improving recreational areas, producing sod for sale and managing golf courses.
This award is sponsored on the state level by Rainmaker Sales and Blue Mountain Equipment and STIHL. This event is sponsored on the national level by John Deere. The Oklahoma Vegetation Management Association sponsors a $1,000 state scholarship winner.
FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. With 26,786 members and 365 chapters, the Oklahoma FFA Association is the fourth-largest state FFA association. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the Oklahoma FFA, visit okffa.org.