The Kinder High School (KHS) Future Farmers of America (FFA) horse judging team is headed to the national competition in October.
Sullivan Fontenot, FFA sponsor and ag instructor at KHS, is excited about the group of students he will lead to the national competition this fall in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team will travel October 25, to 29, and compete on October 28, in the national competition.
At the national level, Fontenot said the team will have to explain a solution to a subject given to them on horses, which is known as a group practical. The competition also includes a written exam on breeds, color, markings, tack identification, etc. Then students will have to evaluate and place a Western Pleasure Class, Reigning Pleasure Class, English Pleasure Class and Halter classes. Students will take notes, memorize information and present an oral reason for the selection and placing.
“These students are the kind of students that have work ethics and other qualities that will allow them to grow and climb the ladder in any career choice they choose in the future. They are that kind of student,” he said.
This unique program is offered through the CDE (Career Development Event) curriculum, Fontenot explained. He said it’s similar to the P.E. coach who sees a student in P.E. that is really good at the basketball goal, so they inquire if the student would like to be on the school team. In his ag classes, he sees how students perform and is able to ask them to join various FFA teams which will test their various skills among other peers.
Fontenot said most of the students (Bryce Thomas, Caroline Comeaux, McKinney Taylor, Tatum Wright and MacKenzy Broussard) are in their junior year except Brylee Manuel, who is a senior. This summer, the team won at the state level, and only the first place team receives an invitation to compete at the national level.
Once a team wins at the state level, they cannot compete in that event again. Of course, Fontenot said there’s other events to consider like forestry, farming, land, marketing, poultry, etc. In fact, he said his forestry team will begin preparing for the state competition which is planned for the first week in October. In 2019, KHS had a state champion team and placed fourth last year in that area. After forestry’s competition, he said the horse team will begin preparing for the national competition.
Fontenot said he cannot thank his family and friends for assisting in the horse competition. He said they have supplied the group with horses as well as themselves enabling students to be well-prepared for the competitions.
“We will be calling upon them again to do more practice in the arena,” he promised. He said he would probably bring some of his own horses to school to help freshen the team’s skills. At the same time, he will begin educating his freshmen students in hopes to find members for the school’s next horse judging team.
“It’s ongoing training,” he laughed. “We also have to give appreciation to Farm Bureau for sponsoring the buckles the students received.”
Good luck Kinder High at national competition.
