Nov 5, 2024
Eleven members of the Central Trail FFA began their Iowa State Fair experience on May 1st when they expressed their intent to compete at the 2024 Iowa State Fair! Members completed all the requirements including YQCA Training, Code of Ethics, and Completion of Entries allowing them to show in their respective areas. Although the Iowa State Fair began on Thursday, August 8, FFA members began their fair experience on Tuesday, August 6!
Riley Benda (pictured above) led our group off at the Iowa State Fair with a 3rd Place finish in the Flag Race at the Iowa State Fair FFA Horse Show.
On Wednesday, August 7, Lizzy Fairchild (pictured below) showed her Rhode Island Red Hen and two Dark Brahma Hens and received blues with all three in the Iowa State Fair FFA Poultry Show!
We then headed to the Iowa State Fair FFA Swine Show where Jordan Dittmer competed in Junior Showmanship (pictured below).
We completed our day at the Iowa State Fair FFA Horse Show with some awesome accomplishments; Riley Benda walked away with Purple Ribbons for two entries in Draft Horse Halter and also Draft Horse Heavy Hitch! Riley also did a great job in English Pleasure, Ranch Horse Pleasure, and Bareback Pleasure, receiving 2 Red Ribbons and a Blue Ribbon.
Kendall Hatfield (pictured above) had a great day competing in Ranch Horse Pleasure, Reining, and Ranch Riding. He received a Red Ribbon, Blue Ribbon, and walked away with 1st Place and a Purple Ribbon in Reining! Finally, Cord Hamilton competed in the Premier Exhibitor competition for scholarship money in the Swine Division. We are proud of him for competing in the competition that included show placings, an interview, a skill-a-thon, and a knowledge test!
On Thursday, August 8 Cord Hamilton (pictured above) led the charge receiving a 4th Place Purple Ribbon in a tough class of market lambs at the Iowa State Fair FFA Market Lamb Show! Not to be outdone, Bryse Auxier (pictured above) followed this by taking the win in his class and receiving a Purple Ribbon with his Maine Anjou Breeding Heifer in the Iowa State Fair Breeding Heifer Show!
In the Iowa State Fair FFA Photography Show Lizzy Fairchild received a Red Ribbon with her photo depicting Iowa Landscape! We finished out the day with the Iowa State Fair FFA Horse Show, and we couldn’t be prouder of our three competitors as they brought home, for the first time ever, the HIGH POINT EQUESTRIAN TEAM Award (see the banner photo above)! Matthew Foltz, Kendall Hatfield, and Riley Benda competed in Halter, Showing, and Trail to end their 2024 Iowa State Fair Experience! Matthew received a 1st Place Purple Ribbon in the 2-year old Halter Class and 2nd Place in the 3-year old Halter class. Riley received a Red Ribbon in Halter Mares, and Kendall followed this up with a Red Ribbon in Trail Class.
Friday, August 9 had us going back and forth between the swine show ring and sheep show ring. Jordan Dittmer, Bailey Dittmer, and Cord Hamilton competed in the Iowa State Fair FFA Market Swine Show this morning!
Jordan and Bailey grabbed Blue Ribbons, and Cord walked away with a 6th Place Purple with his home-raised barrow!
We then moved to the sheep barn where Cord exhibited two ewes in the Black-Faced Commercial Ewe Class at the Iowa State Fair FFA Breeding Sheep Show. He earned 2 blue ribbons. We ended the day at the swine barn where Cord showed for another blue ribbon and Hallee Hamilton received a blue ribbon with her market gilt!
The Central Trail FFA is rounding out the Iowa State Fair with Ajae Mendenhall exhibiting in the Iowa State Fair FFA Meat Goat Show! His first time in the FFA Meat Goat Show will be a memorable one as he took 1st Place in his class of Junior Showmanship, which advanced him to the Junior Showmanship Final Drive!
Ajae (pictured above) was honored to receive a Gold Showing Buckle and Gold Showing Ribbon for this great accomplishment! Ajae had a great start to the Iowa State Fair FFA Meat Goat Show with his market wether, placing 2nd in his class and receiving a Purple Ribbon. This allowed Ajae the opportunity to compete in the Grand Champion Market Meat Goat drive! Ajae was also able to compete in the Meat Goat Breeding Show with his commercial doe and received a Blue Ribbon.
Finally, Mili Waugh was instrumental in the success of the Iowa State Fair as she served as a Grandstand Usher! FFA members are selected for Grandstand Usher through an application process during June. Once fair time rolls around, members move to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines one or two days prior to the fair starting. FFA members selected as Ushers are provided with housing and meals throughout the duration of the fair on the fairgrounds at the Youth Inn. Members are supervised by two program superintendents, state FFA staff, and state FFA officers. Grandstand Ushers help distribute fair programs during the day and help seat 14,000 grandstand guests in the evening. Grandstand Ushers have the responsibility to make the fair experience as one of the first people you see when you come to the fair and possibly the last at the end of the day! We are proud of Mili for representing the Central Trail FFA as a Grandstand Usher!
The 2024 Iowa State Fair allowed our members to set goals and work hard to achieve them. The Central Trail FFA is proud to be represented by this great group of FFA members, and thankful for the support of their family and friends that made it possible for them to compete in the Iowa State Fair!