Future Farmers of America, or FFA, is an agricultural based group of youth from the area. “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve” being the National FFA motto, one thing the members learn to do, and some may already know how to do, is horse judging. 

“It was a really nice day to have horse judging,” FFA advisor Travis Butler said in reference to the horse judging that took place on Sept.16 at Southern Illinois University. 

There were hundreds of advisors and students in attendance to this exciting event. 

“There were a lot of schools and students and we had more contestants this year. We had one student place sixth out of 400,” Butler said. 

There are six classes that horses are judged on, spanning a variety of different qualities. 

“So there’s six different classes based on judging. How the horse is stricter, physically known as confirmation classes, on riding patterns, and how the horse travels with its footwork, overall appeal and appearance of the horse is taken into consideration,” Butler said.

“The judging was good, crowded but it had good classes with good horses,” senior Lane Shover said.

Shover has been in FFA throughout her whole high school career and won multiple awards. 

Shover thinks FFA is a great way for students to expand their knowledge of agriculture and a way to make some new friends who share the same interests. 

“I’d like to see more kids from our school get involved in the future,” Shover said.