95th ANNUAL National FFA CONVENTION

Dorper Projects Lead Two Junior Members to National Proficiency Titles

Conner Cowdrey, Texas National FFA Sheep Production Proficiency Winner

Conner Cowdrey has been raising his own flock of Dorper and White Dorper Sheep for the last 9 years. Working with his family, Conner took on many responsibilities over the years in helping their operation, Mirror C Livestock,grow and become a recognized name in the Dorper industry. During Conner’s senior year at Brock High School, at the prompting of his agriculture science teacher, Mrs. Laura Horner, Conner completed his Sheep Production Proficiency.

The proficiency includes a four-year detailed record book of Conner’s personal flock of sheep, their offspring, and many details of how Conner managed his flock including feed rations, vaccinations, breeding selections and successes in the show ring and sale ring.

Conner’s proficiency won third at the Texas FFA Convention in 2021. Mrs. Horner then recommended that Conner update his proficiency with one more year of data and compete at the state level again in 2022. At the Texas FFA Convention in July of 2022, Conner’s Sheep Production Proficiency was awarded first place by Texas FFA.

The state title gave Conner the opportunity for his proficiency to compete at the National FFA Convention on October 28, 2022, in Indianapolis, IN. After an extensive interview process in September, Conner traveled to Indy and was ultimately named the National Champion with his Sheep Production Proficiency.

Conner is currently a sophomore at Texas Tech University where he is an Animal Science major and a member of the Texas Tech Ranch Horse Team. In July of 2022, Conner traveled to Des Moines, IA to complete 12 days of training at the World Wide College of Auctioneering.

Conner will continue his education at Texas Tech as he begins his professional auctioneer career.