FFA chapter takes first at Field Day

The "plant nerds" from Los Molinos High had a big day in Arbuckle on Saturday.

The FFA chapter placed first in the Nursery Landscape competition at the 15th annual FFA Field Day at Pierce High, was third in Floriculture and fifth in the Farm Record contest.

Ramiro Castellon, a 17-year-old junior, said the chapter members simply have a true passion for plants.

"We call each other plant nerds," said Castellon, who was the top competitor in the Nursery Landscape category. Austin Hall was fifth.

"I don't know if it is really as much about winning, as much as all the people I meet and spending time with people from my school outside of school," Castellon said.

One such friend is West Valley High graudate Jordan Johnson, who is attending UC Davis. Castellon also intends to go to Davis, where he aspires to a career in the health field, possibly being a physcian.

He believes FFA is giving him skills to make that transition.

"I think it is the leadership skills that you obtain oin FFA and the ability to go up to anyone and talk to them or public speaking in front of a group," Castellan said.

It boils down to confidence.

That is certainly what Sara Gwerder and Hillary Brainard, juniors at Pierce High and co-chairwomen of the Field Day, have gained from their experiences in FFA.

They both said putting on an event with more than 60 schools and hundreds of FFA members has been a challenge.

"We have different chapters from up and down the valley, but we also have chapters coming from Oregon and some have come from Nevada," said Brainard.

There were 67 chapters scheduled to attend, but not all made it.

The Field Day was actually a bit smaller in student numbers than the last two at Pierce, primarily because of competing FFA events in the region.

Brainard said planning for the next one started Monday.

They will take the good things and bad things and learn from the experience, and push for improving the Field Day next year.

It was the Arbuckle FFA members who basically put on the event, everything from organizing where each competition was held to designing the contest and projects within each of the 17 categories.

"It's a great opportunity to learn about communication and learning how to run your own business," said Gwerder.

Many of the contestants view the Field Day as real-life experience.

Castellon said he has competed at more than 20, and is always learning something new.

"It is a great experience," he said.

Field Day results

Agricultural Mechanics

Teams: 3.4

1. Ripon Team A

2. Hanford FFA

3. Tulelake HS

4. Bear River (A)

5. Nevada Union

Individuals

1. Aaron Avila, Hanford FFA

2. Garnet McManis, Ripon Team A

3. Luke Plass, Tulelake HS

4. Cody Butterfield, Nevada Union

5. Jordan Lee, Hanford FFA

Ag Sales

Teams: 2.

1. Galt-Liberty Ranch

2. Gridley

Individuals

1. Fraine Cox, Gridley

2. Cole Stancil, Liberty Ranch

3. Hayley Avery, Galt-Liberty Ranch

4. Madisson O' Grodnick, Galt-Liberty Ranch

5. Daisy Montoya, Hamilton City

Best Informed Greenhand

Teams: 2.1

1. McKinnleyville

2. Newman

3. East Nicolus

4. Esparto

5. Liberty Ranch

Individuals

1. Andrew Dias, Central Valley

2. Mike Gybes, East Nicolus

3. Christina Castillo, Newman

4. Jynecile Brillantes, Esparto

5. Jeremy Wilson, McKinnleyville

Farm Business Management

Teams: 2

1. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove)

2. Orestimba (Newman)

Individuals

1. Roman Waskiewicz, Pleasant Grove

2. 1.4.3. Trevor Beach, Orestimba

3. 1.4.3. Kelsie Kennicutt, Pleasant Grove

4. 1.2.9 Brittany Langer, Pleasant Grove

5. 1.2.6 Courtney Wheeler, Pleasant Grove

Farm Power & Machinery

Teams: 2.4

1. Hilmar FFA

2. Gregoni (Modesto) FFA

3. Susanville FFA

4. Liberty Ranch FFA

5. Gregori FFA B

Individuals

1. David Escobar, Hilmar FFA B

2. Spencer Blocher, Gregoni FFA

3. Sal Martinez, Hilmar FFA

4. Trey Johnston, Hilmar FFA

5. Zhanen Arterpstra, Gregoni FFA

Farm Record Book

Teams: 9

1. Pleasant Grove (A)

2. Ripon (A)

3. Willows

4. Orestimba

5. Los Molinos

Individuals

1. Shelbi Philipps, Pleasant Grove (A)

2. Jessica Coit, Ripon (A)

3. Thong Nguyen, Pleasant Grove (A)

4. Madison Hardin, Ripon (A)

5. Amanda Alves, Willows

Floriculture

Teams:

1. Galt-Liberty Ranch A

2. Lassen-Susanville A

3. Los Molinos A

4. Galt-Liberty Ranch B

5. Atwater

Individuals

1. Hannah Fortin, Lassen-Susanville A

2. Elisha Richards, Galt-Liberty Ranch A

3. Annelise Wipfii, Galt-Liberty Ranch A

4. Jenna Patten, Lassen-Susanville A

5. Caresse Wilson-Cotter, Atwater

Forestry

Teams:

1. Nevada Union A

2. Arcata

3. Red Bluff

4. Eureka

5. McKinleyville

Individuals

1. Ellen Van Noy, Nevada Union A

2. Joshua Delle, Las Plumas A

3. Dustin Wallis, Arcata

4. Teija Evans, Nevada Union A

5. Carl Miller, Red Bluff

Light Horse Judging

Teams:

1. Sutter

2. Orland

3. Maxwell A

4. Hamilton City

5. Red Bluff

Individuals

1. Zoey Zimmerman, Orland

2. Molly Dunlap, Maxwell B

3. Lara Macon, Placer

4. Sutter Union High School

5. Sutter Union High School

Marketing

Teams:

1. Ripon

2. Liberty Ranch

3. Delta (Clarksburg)

4. Rio Linda

5. Pioneer A (Woodland)

Individuals

1. Jessica Pearson, Liberty Ranch

2. Cierra Roberts, Ripon

3. Ryan Van Hausten, Liberty Ranch

4. Daniel Oropeya, Delta

5. Ty John, Ripon

Milk Quality and Dairy Foods

Teams:

1. Atwater FFA

2. Eureka FFA

3. Fortuna FFA

4. Gregori FFA

5. Ferndale FFA

Individuals

1. Joseph Alvarez, Gregori FFA

2. Hailey Vest, Eureka FFA

3. Sandra Duran, Atwater FFA

4. Juan Hurtado, Atwater FFA - Alternates

5. Walkyhr Macy, Fortuna FFA

Nursery, Landscape

Teams:

1. Los Molinos A

2. Atwater A

3. Las Plumas A

4. Tokay (Lodi)

5. Los Molinos B

Placing Total Name, Team

1. Ramiro Castellon, Los Molinos A

2. Mayra Hernandez, Atwater A

3. Taylor Ferreira, Atwater A

4. Edith Duran, Atwater A

5. Austin Hall, Los Molinos A

Small Engines

Teams:

1. Hilmar A

2. Ripon A

3. Central Valley

4. Yreka

5. Etna A

Individuals

1. Daniel Santos, Hilmar A

2. Justin DeBow, Ripon A

3. Daniel Armenta, Hilmar A

4. Luciano Alves, Central Valley

5. =Trevor Tryoman, Etna A

Specialty Animal Judging

Teams:

1. Susanville A

2. Susanville B

3. Pleasant Grove A

4. Las Plumas

5. Rio Linda

Individuals

1. Cheyenne Osborn, Susanville A

2. Morgan Pickett, Susanville A

3. Angie Law, Santa Rosa

4. Lindsay Noggles, Susanville B

5. shley Miller, Susanville A

Vegetable Crops

Teams:

1. Gregori Team A

2. Placer FFA

3. Pioneer A

4. East Nicolaus

5. Hamilton City FFA

Individuals

1. Anna Keo, Gregori Team A

2. Jose Jimenez, Gregori Team A

3. Holly Hockett, Placer FFA

4. Ruben Lopez, Hamilton City FFA

5. Rebecca Leiting, Pioneer A