Olney FFA competes in San Antonio contest

Four Olney FFA students competed in separate events last month in San Antonio and came away with valuable experience, Ag teacher Haylee Haralson said.

Marlee Lane and Kaiden Johnson showed commercial steers and Matthew Bullock and Mason Johnson showed market swine.

The market swine show was held February 14-15, and the commercial steers showed February 17-19. Both shows were held at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo Fairgrounds.

Any student in the state of Texas who has a validated FFA or 4-H livestock project is eligible to show, Mrs. Haralson said.

Although the show is open to all, “students will not be prepared to show here. That does not happen without a lot of time and effort that is put into their animals,” she said. “The swine exhibitors feed, walk, and weigh their animals daily. The commercial steer exhibitors feed and care for their animals daily as well as study for the college level exam and prepare for their public speaking portion.”

Marlee and Kaiden showed Black Angus and Angus Cross Commercial Steers. Mason Johnson showed a Berkshire pig and Matthew Bullock showed a Spotted Poland China Pig.

Ms. Lane said of her first commercial steer contest that she “learned so much more on cattle production, cattle industry and the cattle market but also ... how strong and determined I am to succeed in this industry and at life,” Mr. Johnson said he “enjoyed meeting nice people ... also you can learn a bunch of different things in a couple of months.”