The Land and Range teams in OKC. L-: Culley Tobin, Mitch Kraft, Cordell Muilenburg, Drew Kraft, Matt Hein, Eric Jackson, Tyler Peterson, and Troy Duxbury

The FFA is finished out a very busy and productive year. The Chapter just returned home from the National Land and Range Contest in Oklahoma City where the Land team placed 2nd in the nation. The team consisted of Drew Kraft, Cordell Muilenburg, Mitch Kraft and Culley Tobin.

Individually Drew placed 5th high, this is the highest placing in Land judging by any South Dakota FFA member. Muilenburg placed 11th .

The team came home thinking that they were 7th in the nation but received word that there was a computer scoring error and when the cards were hand scored the team ended up Reserve Champions.

This is the highest a South Dakota FFA Land judging team has every placed at the national contest. The Land Judging team also competed in the Homesite Evaluation contest this year for the first time and placed 9th in the nation, with Drew Kraft placing 9th as an individual.

The Range Judging team placed 14th in the nation with team members Tyler Peterson, Troy Duxbury, Matt Hein and Eric Jackson. Peterson was the 11th high individual. The Land team would like to give a big thank you to Lance Howe, NRCS soil scientist from Redfield, for coaching the team while in Oklahoma.

The chapter recently hosted it’s annual banquet befor leaving for Oklahoma. New officers were elected and awards given to members for their outstanding achievements. Matt Hein was awarded the Star in Placement for the Chapter, Layton Schimke was recognized for his state winning Proficiency in Beef Placement, Culley Tobin was awarded the Star Greenhand for being the outstanding freshman member. Joe Hettinger and Mr. and Mrs Walt Hein were elected to Honorary Membership. The graduating members were awarded a FFA graduation sash by Marie Jaacks, the former Marie Schaller. Marie is now the Executive Secretary for the South Dakota FFA, she had this group of