Members of the Lexington-Richland School District Five Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter placed first the SC FFA Horse Evaluation Career Development Event, earning a perfect score in the team problem-solving activities. The event took place at the South Carolina Equine Park in Camden on Saturday, May 28th.
Twelve teams comprised of 47 individual competitors participated in the event. School District Five team members included Olivia Conti (Dutch Fork High), Rachel Gentry (FIVE), and Eleanor Prosser (Dutch Fork High). These students are enrolled in the Veterinary Science & Technology program at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies. Additionally, Eleanor Prosser was recognized as the 2nd high-individual in the competition. The team will go on to compete at the national level at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN in October.
Career Development Events (CDEs) are industry-related competitive events that challenge FFA members to utilize critical thinking skills and effective decision-making skills, foster teamwork, and promote communication while recognizing the value of ethical competition and individual achievement. The Horse Evaluation CDE requires participants to apply their knowledge of horse management and care. Teams must evaluate and rank horses based on their conformation and performance, defend their decisions through oral reasons, and solve real-world problems related to topics such as feed and hay selection, hoof care and shoeing, and disease prevention.
The South Carolina FFA Association, a subsidiary of the National FFA Organization, has a growing membership of over 7,000 active FFA members. FFA is an intracurricular student organization that helps students develop leadership, demonstrate personal growth, and achieve career success. Members have the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real-world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the South Carolina FFA Association, visit South Carolina FFA.
