Aggie Day attracts more than 1,000

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- More than 1,000 students flocked to Fort Scott Community College to compete in the 30th Annual Key Industries Agriculture Interscholastic Judging Contest, or Aggie Day, competition on Friday.

The Aggie Day competition is one of area's the largest and longest-running agricultural contests. Students representing more than 100 high schools, elementary schools and middle schools, and some 4-H chapters in several states, including Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, were on hand at Fort Scott Community College.

Between 1,200 and 1,300 students from upper elementary grades through 12th grade registered to participate, FSCC Agriculture Instructor and Meats Judging Coach Ryan Edgecomb said.

Edgecomb said the event benefits ag students and teachers in several ways. It can provide students with valuable experience, prepare them for college and careers in the ag industry, help them develop a variety of skills and can look appealing to employers.

"It gives them an opportunity to showcase what they've learned in the classroom," he said. "It can open the door for scholarships ... More importantly, it enables students to have hands-on activities and apply what they've learned."

Categories students competed in included livestock, meat, dairy foods, poultry, floriculture, nursery landscape, entomology, speech, farm business management, agronomy, food science and land judging. Each contest is a hands-on activity.

Also featured in the event were a horse judging workshop and contest in which students studied and evaluated live horses and tested their knowledge of equines by competing for awards.

Most of the competitors are high school ag students, but the event allows younger students interested in agriculture to learn and compete as well.

Each team was required to pay $10 per contest category. Extra individuals and speech contestants were able to enter the competition at a cost of $4 per person.

Edgecomb said proceeds from the event help agriculture scholarships at the community college.

About 150 area volunteers, including FSCC staff and students, helped organize and conduct this year's event, he said.

Contests took place throughout the day Friday at various locations across the FSCC campus and at the Twister Trailer arena located west of Fort Scott on U.S. Highway 54. The event was scheduled to conclude Friday afternoon with results and the presentation of awards.

The top 10 individuals in each contest area and top three teams in each contest area were recognized with awards. Winners of a sweepstakes contest during the event received plaques.