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Special publication of Rensselaer Republican • July, 2018
A2: Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018
Rensselaer FFA competes in Scotland Royal Highland Show BY NICK FIALA reporter@rensselaerrepublican.com
Upon winning the National Livestock Judging Competition, The Rensselaer Central School Corporation’s 2017 Livestock Judging FFA Team earned a trip to Scotland to attend the International Competition. After some hectic fundraising efforts from the team and the community, the members were able to go overseas. The trip lasted from June 17 until July 4. Both before and after the trip, Coach Ron Wamsley commented on the historic nature of the team’s success. The winning team consisted of Cody Goodman, Anna Hannon, Paige Longstreth and Zach Wamsley. Caleb Wamsley notably traveled in place of Cody Goodman. The team and members of the community held numerous events and fundraisers to help ensure the team had money to pay for the trip and celebrate local FFA history. One of the most notable examples of these events was a nostalgic “roast” of current agriculture teacher Ron Wamsley and a celebration of the previous teacher, Byron Callahan. Wamsley and Callahan are notably two of just three ag teachers to lead the Rensselaer teams since 1926. The third was Ray Bundy, who taught from 1926 to 1964. “[Callahan] is 92,” Wamsley said. “And he taught from ‘64 to ‘88...I took over in the fall of ‘88.” Wamsley said he doubted most, if any, other local schools could make such a claim about the ag teachers’ longevity and dedication to the teams over the years. Those organizing the roast, which took place in late April at Rensselaer’s Knights of Columbus building, even joined in the fun of this. Instead of writing “1988 to the present,” they listed Wamsley as having served in the job until 2026, just to make it an even 100 years. Rensselaer FFA Livestock Judging Coach Ron Wamsley .
“I don’t know if I’ll make it that long,” Wamsley said with a laugh. The team’s recent Scotland trip is particularly remarkable since it is the first time the local FFA team has won at the national level since 1994. In the FFA Division of these competitions, there have only been two Indiana schools which have won nationally in nearly 100 years, the one obviously being RCSC and the other being the Community School Corporation of Eastern Hancock. Meanwhile, in the 4-H Division, there have only been four national winners from Indiana. “And I’m the only coach team is greeted Rensselaer’s FFA that has coached both a 4-H ol classmates by their high scho winner and an FFA winl. the national leve after winning at ner in our state’s history,” Wamsley said. Wamsley even remembered when a past Indiana FFA coach who won a competi- numerous times. tion in the late 1940s and was then over 90 years old, called “Indiana’s just very competitive,” he said. “...And it makes Wamsley to tell him how significant the win in 1994 was. us all better.” “He’s since passed away,” Wamsley said. “In fact, they were When the team finally arrived in Scotland last month, going to recognize his team and my team, and they still their time was divided between the competition itself, tourhaven’t, because he died just a couple weeks before that was ist areas and more rural areas. These rural farms still held to happen.” surprises even for Wamsely. Wamsley said support from locals is a key reason for why “We saw a farm that milked water buffalos, believe it or Rensselaer’s team has had such success. One of the recent not,” Wamsley said. “There was another farm that milked examples was in the sheer number of people who showed up sheep. I had never heard of anything like that in my life… to help fund the Scotland trip at the roast event, which also They milk like 500 head in an hour-and-a-half. It was just featured a silent auction. amazing the kind of operation they had for sheep…It was “The Rensselaer community is a really strong supportive just a totally different operation.” community,” Wamsley said. “Thus 140 people come to help Wamsley even recalled humorous anecdotes, such as the fund a trip.” aggressive water buffalo which seemed to threaten the life Wamsley said local farmers have allowed the team to speak see FFA on page 3 with them and practice on their livestock for competitions
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Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018: A3 day 2 june 19 Visited a local dairy farm. Here milk companies are far away and 1/3 of his production goes to paying for milk transport. The farm has a machine that takes the moisture from the manure and spits out the rest to be used for bedding. They also use energy from wind turbines and that is how the dairy farm gets their electricity. They also feed the cattle potatoes. It takes five times the amount of barley to get the same nutritional value from one potato. Potatoes are abundant over there so this is much more economical. The cows were of all sorts of breeds. There were some Belgium Blue cross. Their black color looks a different shade.
day 1 june 18 - Here, the kids pictured with Bill and Moyra Brown. Bill and Moyra invited the team to stay with them and have been showing them around. Bill was a 4-H leader in Indiana before moving to Scotland.
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of one particular young man who had to work with it on a regular basis. Fortunately, then, the actual competitions overseas were arguably less intense. Wamsley was candid about how the actual competition was, by and large, more of a ceremonial event than the careful detailed procedures he and the team were used to experiencing. “The contest is almost like an afterthought or like an exhibition,” he said. “you know, it isn’t run like it is in the United States…It’s good and neat to go, but it’s not like we have here. It’s quite a bit different.” Even so, the team performed well, and the trip always felt well worth the effort. “We had a really nice trip,” Wamsley said. “Both teams would have placed third…in the American Division.” The coach credited his students’ great combined work ethic for allowing the historic success his teams have experienced over the years. “We’ve had a really good set of students that have really wanted to work,” he said. “I mean they go every weekend…We’re on the road all the time. It’s really cool that that’s been available to me and been able to work out. We’ve got kids and parents who understand what it takes to be competitive, and that’s made it fun. That’s been a neat part of my teaching is to be able to do that.”
day 3 june 20 All host families got together at the Browns’ for a barbacue. Above - Zach and Caleb with their host family, Rhys, Hazel, Jamie, and Cameron Anderson. Right - Anna and Paige with their host family, Graham, Lynsey, Elspeth, and Lachlan Anderson.
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A4: Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018
day 5 june 22 Spent the morning on a bus tour and then arrived at the Highland Stock Show. Got some judging pointers from people. Below: Ron Wamsley getting into character. Right: Jacob sheep. This was the champion. Some were surprised they had 2 sets of horns.
day 4 june 21 Train ride from Laurencekirk to Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is full of activity. Seems like everything here is uphill. The team getting ready to find the Royal Mile for some shopping! Right: Views from the Royal Mile. Bagpipe player going back and forth playing.
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Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018: A5 day 6 june 23 CONTEST DAY Seems that everyone from miles around comes to this. Record last year for four days was 190,000. There were people everywhere. The day didn’t end as they had hoped but they did their best. They do things a little differently there and judge in pairs. They only announce top three pairs in each category. The animals are very different than what they have at home. Just the opportunity to be here and represent the United States and Rensselaer has been great. Frocks were required to wear in judging.
The team after the competition was over.
Parade of Champions! They do this everyday at 2:30. Quite a sight to see. So many cattle and different breeds.
Zach using his six minutes to judge and take notes.
Paige judging the Limousin Heifers. She was actually in the middle of the ring while they paraded the cattle around the outside. At home the team would be outside the cattle.
Caleb checking out the Suffolk ewes. They paint them yellow to make their heads stand out. Very short, thick, and big boned here.
Anna judging the Charolais bulls in the middle of the ring while they paraded the cattle around the outside.
Caleb and Zach accepting their 3rd place best pair in sheep judging from the leader of the young farmers. Got final score sheet at breakfast the following day. For some reason they left one of Paige’s reason scores off. The girls should have been 3rd high pair in the Beef division. They don’t do Individual awards.
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A6: Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018 day 7 june 24 Left Edinburg and journeyed North to Saint Andrews and staying in Blairgowrie for the night. The first stop was birthplace of Andrew Carnegie. Below - Caleb, Anna, and Paige checking out Monopoly junior at the Carnegie Museum. Right - The kids on the beach down from the ruined castle. Bottom right - St. Andrews Cathedral. The grave stones here are quite old.
day 8 june 25 Visited a couple farms today. Now in Glasgow for the evening. Heading to Northern Ireland tomorrow afternoon. Bottom - Purebred Scottish Highlander Bull. This is what they call their A team. Amazing animals to look at but from what Alex, the farm hand, said only worth something if they are really good. Right - The name of the restaurant we ate dinner at. This type of meat is very expensive. What we had for lunch today, which was a hamburger and some fries would have been £12 and 50 pence. So excited they gave ice with drinks at lunch.
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Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018: A7
There was only a short time to visit Blarney Castle and Gardens but it was worth it.
Cliffs of Moher day 9 june 26 Started the day visiting the Culzean Castle. (Pictured on the cover) Then traveled by Ferry to Belfast for the night. day 10 june 27 Started out the day at a zero graze dairy and then headed to Dublin for a city tour. Transportation while in Ireland is an Agrotours bus. Oliver is the driver as well as guide. day 11 june 28 Visited a cattle farm and milking sheep farm. Finished the day at the Rock of Cashel. The Crosse farm belongs to two brothers that have no farming background but saw a future in raising sheep for milk. They leased the farm and are now milking 700 ewes. They sell the milk
to cheese makers and also to people who make ice cream. They have two kinds: East Fresian from Germany and Lakahn from France. They also have a Border Collie that works the sheep on command. day 12 june 29 Started the day on a carriage ride around National Park. Then headed to the Ring of Kerry and finished the day at a cow suckler farm. Saw red deer, a shallow river, baby fawns, Ross Castle ruined by Oliver Cromwell, Low Lake and the Purple Mountains behind it, a golf course, a monastery, and magpies during the carriage tour. Barry the owner of a 40 cow suckler operation gave an inspiring message. Probably one
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of the poorest farmers in Ireland but makes what he has work due to his love for farming. day 13 june 30 First visit a Water Buffalo Farm where they use the milk to make mozzarella cheese. Then we went to the Blarney Castle and Gardens and finished the day at the Tim O’Leary farm. Caleb was the only one brave enough to kiss the Blarney Stone. The views from the top of the castle were pretty good. day 14 - july 1 Last day in the Irish Republic. Visits to Cliffs of Moher and an Angus farm. Ended the day at Bunratty Castle. Saw the Cliffs of Moher (featured in Harry Potter). There are times when it isn’t visible due to weather. Quite a site to see. Pictures don’t do it justice. day 15 & 16 - july 2 & 3 - LONDON Bus tour of London with a few stops. Viewed Westminster Abbey Church,
Border Collie working sheep.
A baby water buffalo at about 12 weeks of age. This guy was very photogenic. Their horns are very warm. London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Natural History Museum and Kensington Palace, Princess Diana’s home. Still a lot of memorials to her hanging on the fence. Then lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Photos provided by Anna Hannon, Leslie Hannon, Paige Longstreth, Sindi Wamsley and Ron Wamsley
LONDON PHONEBOOTH - Had to get the kids picture by these since they are everywhere here. On our way to the museum. L-R - Caleb, Zach, Anna and Paige.
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A8: Rensselaer FFA • July, 2018
An FFA journey to United Kingdom By Cheri Shelhart kvpreporter@gmail.com
A team of Rensselaer FFA students and a few adults flew to Great Britain shortly after school got out in June. They toured farms in Scotland and Ireland and finished their journey with a visit to the city of London, England. What struck these kids the most? A lack of ice cubes and cold drinks! Everywhere they went in the northern isles, drinks were served hot or warm, with tea and coffee being the most popular drinks. If there were ice cubes, they were only given three or four in a glass with warm or hot liquid poured over them, thus melting the ice. It didn’t help that Scotland and Ireland were experiencing their hottest weather in decades, going from the usual balmy 70s to the upper 90s, much the same as we experienced here in Indiana. The Rensselaer group had three days to themselves before joining a contingent of FFA students from the United States for the rest
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of the trip. Zach Wamsley, Cody Goodman, Paige Longstreth and Anna Hannon placed second in the state at a livestock judging competition in May of 2017, which qualified them for national competition. At nationals in November 2017, the team placed first and qualified for the Scottish Royal Highland Stock show, a livestock judging contest. Goodman had a summer internship so Caleb Wamsley replaced him on the trip. There, the team competed against other teams from the U.S., namely Texas, California and Colorado. They were the only team from Indiana to attend. In Scotland and Ireland, the students visited beef and dairy farms. This year the countries were experiencing a drought and silage was becoming harder and harder to find. They do import silage from the U.S., and Zach Wamsley said they were told it would be cheaper for the farmers to just import all of their silage and grain, but they grow their own, with the help of government sub-
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sidies to remain self-sufficient should there ever be another world war. Across the “pond,” the students said the sheep are much smaller and the beef cows are taller and very muscular. With no fat or marbling of the meat, it is on the tough side and not well loved by their American palates. They didn’t get a good hamburger until they visited a farm in Ireland known for its high quality meats. The farm grows wagyu beef, popular in Japan. Longstreth said those burgers were really good and the others agreed. During portions of the trip, the FFA team and their chaperones stayed with host families. There they ate a lot of chicken and potatoes. None of them wanted to eat the tough beef or the famous fish and chips, because they just weren’t fish eaters. “They had great pizza,” they said. And good Italian food Hannon added. The group stayed in hotels and as part of the American contingent, meals were included for much of their journey. During their tour, they visited a few dairy farms, which they said compare to those in Indiana. They use a lot of the same technology as well. In a one week period, they stayed in a different hotel every night, some nicer than others. The first person they stayed with in Scotland was a man originally from Indiana, who had met and fallen in love as an exchange stu-
dent. He has lived with his Scottish bride for 60 years. The American FFA kids took tours by bus, seeing many castles, mostly in ruins and the farms, where they learned about beef production there. As far as the livestock, Zach Wamsley said, “The difference was night and day.” The team said the judging was lax, and in the individual competitions, the judges lost one of Longstreth’s scores so she ended with a zero, but should have had a top score. Hannon, the youngest of the group, placed second in beef judging. The team placed third in sheep and should have placed third in beef, if not for judging errors. They only competed against the American teams. What did they look forward to most when returning home? Hannon said Mexican food. They all wanted a cold drink with ice, and Caleb Wamsley said a cheeseburger. He did get to eat an American style burger in London. What did they take from this experience? Hannon said, “How good we have it here. We grow so much more crops and the climate is better for livestock. Ag is better here.” “Seeing how different their livestock is,” Longstreth said, “and their views. They have similar breeds, but their goals are a lot different. We have better meat quality compared to theirs.” “How lucky we are here,”
day 17 - JULY 4 - HOME As our trip across the pond comes to a close, we just want to take this opportunity to once again say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that helped make this possible. We have seen so many beautiful sights, vastly expanded our knowledge of agriculture abroad, and made a lot of memories. We have gained new friends from California, Texas, Illinois and Colorado, as well as a few from Scotland. We are blessed and truly grateful! Ron, Caleb, Anna, Paige and Zach.
Caleb said. “Especially in Indiana. Ag there is interesting.” He was struck by their need to keep their own agriculture going, not to make money, but to stay self-sufficient if there’s a war. Zach said what he got from the trip was “how big the U.S. is. We don’t think about driving two hours to show sheep or pigs, but their country is only five hours from coast to coas, so for them, that’s a long drive.” Zach Wamsley graduated from Rensselaer Central in 2017, as did Longstreth. He attends Illinois Central College with Goodman, with both on the college’s judging team. He is attending on a scholarship for his judging abilities. Longstreth is also on scholarship at the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Okla. She, too, is a part of a judging team at her school. Both are heading into their sophomore years.
Caleb will be a senior at Rensselaer Central and Hannon a sophomore. She was at the end of her eighth grade year when she joined the winning team. Caleb plans to attend either of the colleges his brother or Paige attend, depending on scholarships. Hannon said she will be looking into that as well when the time comes. All said they would consider going back, but not for a long time to come. Zach said he’d like to go back to visit the Scottish Highlands and see the famous cliffs. They were mostly in the “lowlands” within view of the mountains. He said next year, the RC FFA will have seven students going to college on full scholarships because of their judging abilities. They are treated like athletes at these colleges and universities.
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