The Glen Rose FFA Range Evaluation CDE is built on evaluating rangelands for beef cattle. At the National level, bobwhite quail are added to the contest. Students must be able to identify 120 plants at any point of their growth cycle. They must also be able to figure a similarity index to determine how similar the rangeland is today, compared to its original native condition. This is done by identifying the plants in a marked site and projecting its growth to the end of the growing season and estimating its weight at that time. Based on the landowners objective, students will recommend management practices to fit the rangeland they are evaluating and the goals it must meet.
The Glen Rose FFA team was in a “rebuild” year as three of the four members of the team are essentially rookies. They had a goal of making it to Nationals to gain experience for next season. They punched their ticket to Nationals by placing 3rd at the State contest! They spent last week preparing for the National contest, practicing on the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation. They must learn 20 new plants, all new plant characteristics, and how to evaluate rangeland for quail, as well as cattle. They have 3 days to learn this information before they compete on the biggest stage! Our kids walked away National Champions, with Cooper Davis winning National Champion individual, Brady Stephenson took 9th place, Riley Bollin took 10th place and Sam Reedy took 12th place. We are extremely proud of all their hard work and this awesome accomplishment!
