Ag students place in Spring Break competition
Fifteen Students from the College of Agriculture spent part of their Spring Break competing at the Postsecondary Agricultural Students (PAS) Nationals in Bismarck, N.D.
“Going to the competition is a really good recruiting tool,” said Katie Collett, the current agriculture senator. “It is our way of showing others that Utah State has good programs that are similar to National FFA Programs.”
USU took fifth place in the College Bowl, which covers all the different areas of agriculture mechanics, plant science and dairy science, Collett said.
Members of the College Bowl were Scott Wangsguard, a junior; Lori Pickup, a senior; Staci Villes, a junior; Jeremy Thorpe, a sophomore and Collett.
In the livestock overall competition, USU took fourth place. The competition included beef, sheep and swine judging. Members of the team were Pickup, senior Amy Young and senior Kattie Amsden.
USU took fourth place in the Beef Specialist overall, Collett said.
Individually, junior Kenneth Ure took first place and senior Shelle Preston took third place. The dairy specialists took third overall. Junior Staci Zilles took eighth place, senior Amy Young took ninth, Pickup took 11th and Ann Haueter took 26th.
“Out of 66 people competing, we placed really high,” Collett said.
The horticulture took first place overall with Collett taking second and senior Mary Shepherd also placing high. Freshman Jen Preston took third in prepared speaking.
Last year, 19 states and 1,100 active members were represented at the competition, Collett said. The numbers increased this year, she said.
“It was great getting to know the people not only from Utah State but around the nation,” Pickup said.
USU was very well represented. Mark Ure and Teresa Dahl were both national officers this year, Collett said.
“I liked competing just to see how much I knew and retained from my classes,” Pickup said. “I was comparing my education to others and found that obviously it is pretty good.”
The students were able to also do some sight seeing. They went to Belle Fourche – the cattle run used in a John Wayne movie – Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Gate and Independence Rock.