On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Future Farmers of America will be attending the twenty-sixth annual CFISD livestock show and sale at the CFISD exhibition center. Forty-seven students will be representing Cy Falls in six different categories. It is expected that around 600 students from around the district will be competing in this year’s show. 

The FFA competition is chock full of quality moments. Many of those members in FFA, like senior Sam Prokop who is bringing his steer to the show, are very happy that the effort they have put in all year is going to be rewarded.

 “Getting up the weight [of the steer], working it every single day, having no breaks, not going anywhere at all, staying in Houston every day” are some of the many sacrifices that were made this year in the program. Hard Work will be rewarded with the thousands of dollars that will be earned at the auction. The goal for all members going is to receive the title of Grand Champion, which is the best title given and therefore earns the most money. 

The first step that all owners participate in is the freezer sale. The judge will evaluate the animal’s showmanship and pick the very best to either go into the Grand Champion sale or the reserve sale. Only the very best go into the Grand Champion sale, where the most money will be paid for them. The competition is very important to all of the members. Dylan Vick, a senior who is taking both pigs and rabbits to the competition says he is fully prepared for the competition.

“I’ve shown for all four years,” Vick said. “I’ve shown at the state fair, [in] Harris County, so it’s just the competition that I’m excited for.” 

The show isn’t all about the competition though. The training of the animal and its technique is very hard work. “Knowing how to work them, do your perfect form, and showing the fundamentals of showing your animal” are a few of the important things Isabella Atilano, a junior who is bringing her pig to competition, says. She adds that she is proud of the things that she not only learned with her team but also the things she was able to learn on her own. 

Adam Ashy, a senior who is bringing his goat to State, says that some of the most important skills he has acquired are “discipline and how to learn new things.” He also adds that “you learn what you need to do, you put your animal to work [and] make something unique.”

The family here at Cy Falls is proudly supporting each and every student that is entered into this competition. Everyone here wishes them the very best luck and are looking forward to the results to come in. Like Prokop says, “Always be ready for anything.”