FFA students place well at Chowchilla County Fair
Ecklund brothers named to FFA sectional posts

The Chowchilla County Fair was recently held May 16 to 22 and nineteen Yosemite FFA members represented their chapter, school, and community in a positive fashion.

The Market Beef Show was held on Wednesday, May 18. Steers were previously weighed and sorted into classes according to their weight. Nick Ricker, Crystal Hubbard, and Castin Ecklund exhibited class winners and showed in the FFA Grand Champion Market Beef selection.

Castin Ecklund’s steer earned the Reserve Grand Champion FFA Market Beef and was also selected as the Reserve Supreme Champion Market Beef. Ecklund’s steer was also named the Madera County Fed & Bred Champion, earning Castin a $500 cash award. At the exhibitor’s breakfast Sunday, May 22, Castin Ecklund was also named outstanding FFA Beef Exhibitor for the fair.

Other members exhibiting market steers were Alex Plumb, placing fourth and Lindsay Bolsta placing seventh in class. The Yosemite FFA Chapter also placed third in the Pen of Three Market Beef competition.
The beef showmanship classes were held after the Market Beef Show. Castin Ecklund placed third overall in the advanced showmanship championship. Nick Ricker placed seventh and Crystal Hubbard eighth in their advanced showmanship class. Yosemite FFA freshman Alex Plumb was ninth overall in the novice beef showmanship.

The market swine show was also held on Wednesday, May 18. Yosemite FFA members Jason Hawkins and Katie Duvall each placed third with their Crossbred Market Hogs. Travis Ecklund, Bailey Duvall and Rachel Olsten also exhibited their market hogs to top 10 placings in each of their classes.

On Thursday, May 19, YHS FFA exhibitors were busy with swine showmanship and the Market Lamb show.

Travis Ecklund won the FFA Intermediate Swine Showmanship and competed against the advanced winners. He beat out the advanced showmen and earned the FFA overall swine showmanship championship and would compete in the Master showman competition. Travis was also named the Outstanding FFA Swine Exhibitor at the Exhibitor’s awards breakfast.

Bailey Duvall placed ninth overall in the novice swine showmanship competition.

Yosemite FFA members were also very competitive with their market lambs. In the Hampshire/Hampshire cross category, Karen Boortz placed first with her lamb (123-131 lbs), Kaiti Simms lamb placed third in the same class. Heather Cederlof’s lamb was second in the 134-136 lb class. Amanda Steen’s lamb placed fourth in the 140-147 lb class. Yosemite FFA sophomore Erica Scorsur exhibited the Grand Champion AOB lamb, with her Dorset. Yosemite FFA also placed third overall in the pen of three market lamb class.

Friday, May 20 was highlighted by the FFA sheep showmanship and market goat show.

Heather Cederlof placed fifth and Karen Boortz eighth in the intermediate sheep showmanship. Rachel Olsten would place seventh with her yearling breeding ewe.

The market goat show finished up the day. In the lightweight goat class, Blaine Salisbury’s goat placed first, Stacie Weseman second, and Mellany Silva third. Ashley Christensen’s middleweight goat placed fourth and Clay Salisbury placed third with his feeder goat.
Blaine Salisbury was the Reserve Champion FFA novice goat showman, Mellany Silva was third and Clay Salisbury placed fifth.
Ashley Christensen placed third in the intermediate goat showmanship.
The master showman competition took place Friday evening.

The FFA overall champion showmen for beef, sheep, meat goat, dairy goat, dairy cattle, horse, and swine were required to show each species of animal and answer questions about each species. FFA champion Swine showman Travis Ecklund won the title of Master Showman and received a trophy buckle for his efforts.

Saturday was Junior Livestock Sale Day. Yosemite FFA members received a premium price for their market animals and would like to thank the businesses/community members for their generous support.

Ecklund brothers named to FFA sectional posts

Members of the Yosemite FFA Chapter recently attended the East Fresno Madera Sectional FFA Meeting at Kingsburg High School, on Wednesday, May 11. The purpose of the meeting was to plan activities and elect sectional officers for the 2005-2006 year. 2004-2005 Sectional Vice-president Castin Ecklund and Sectional Secretary Lindsay Bolsta also finished their terms of office.

Yosemite FFA president Nick Burkert served on the sectional officer nominating committee, which put officer candidates through an interview. The nominating committee came up with an officer slate, candidates vying for each office gave a two-minute election speech and two voting delegates from each chapter cast their ballot. Serving as Yosemite FFA voting delegates were Alex Plumb and Kaitlin Simms.

When the ballots were all counted, Yosemite FFA will have two sectional officers for the 2005-2006 term. Travis Ecklund will serve as the sectional secretary and Castin Ecklund will take care of the responsibilities of reporter.

Yosemite FFA chapter secretary Ashley Christensen was also slated for the office of sectional historian, but was removed from the slate because of a sectional rule.

Sectional rules state that each chapter may have only two sectional officers.

Yosemite Joint Union High School District News