BLINN AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS SHOW DRAWS RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES
The 15th annual Blinn College Ag Mechanics Project Show drew more than 220 entries from 84 schools around the state Wednesday at the W.J. “Bill” Rankin Agricultural Complex.
Zachery Segura, Hudson Mehrmann, Wesley Zoeller, Tanner Fisher and Locke Davis from Kendall County FFA were named grand champions for their blue 30-foot Airdrop Lowboy Trailer.
“This is a one-of-a-kind trailer that you don’t see on the road or in production,” Segura said. “This group put in 2,136 hours to build the trailer so that it will drop all the way to the ground to load a disabled tractor.”
Logan Rogers, Cody Parker and Jacob Hatfield from Westwood FFA were named reserve champion for their portable corral system.
More than 220 projects from 84 schools marks an all-time best as the show continues to grow. The top three entries in each division received Blinn scholarships.
“Attracting 84 schools to come to this event is what I am most proud of,” said Johnnie Schroeder, show co-founder and Agricultural Sciences professor.
The show featured projects developed and designed by students in high school FFA chapters and county 4-H clubs. Students worked 300-400 hours on some projects, which were then judged on quality and showmanship. Projects included agriculture machinery and equipment; livestock equipment; trailers; recreational items including barbecue pits, picnic tables, metal and wood furniture, entrance gates, deer blinds, animal traps and horticulture products; and engines and reconditioned tractors.
Demonstrations in welding, cutting and power tools were held throughout the day. The show also included welding, metal cutting, wildlife and horticulture contests.
The Blinn Agricultural Sciences Program is roughly four times the size of any other two-year agricultural program in the state and offers agriculture classes on all of its campuses, with the Rankin Agricultural Complex serving as the program’s hub.
In addition to its excellence in the classroom, Blinn offers extracurricular educational activities in the areas of livestock judging, agriculture club, wildlife, agriculture mechanics, horticulture and agriculture sciences.
Blinn College Ag Mechanics Project Show Results:
Welding contest winners:
| 1st place | Rodrigo Costilla | Rockdale |
| 2nd place | Duncan Cowney | Northwest |
| 3rd place | Jayson Rasco | Foster |
Turbo torch contest winners:
| 1st place | Rylee Pond | Tatum |
| 2nd place | Mike Nelson | Stephenville |
Ag Machinery & Equipment Classes:
| 1st | Martin Herrera and Weston Conine | Comanche FFA | 1000 Gallon 2003 International Spray Truck |
| 2nd | Jace Watson, Chase Newland, Tyler Johnson, Trevor Jones, Seth Hill and Brett Arden | Cross Roads FFA | 12-inch Livestock Bedding Broadcaster |
| 3rd | Hunter Groze and Kellbey Spiller | Columbia FFA | 4x4 Farm Utility Vehicle |
Livestock & Equipment Classes:
| 1st | Logan Rogers, Cody Parker and Jacob Hatfield ** | Westwood FFA | Portable Corral System |
| 2nd | Lane Morgan, Tim Lockhart, Drew Fanrin and Rodney Rogers | Franklin FFA | Bucking Chute |
| 3rd | Asa Martinez, Patrick Halfmann, Tyler Thorpe, Tanner Thorpe and Cass Benson | Irion County FFA | 20-foot Mobile Creep Feeder |
Trailer Classes:
| 1st | Zachery Segura, Hudson Mehrmann, Wesley Zoeller, Tanner Fischer and Locke Davis * | Kendall County FFA | 30-foot Airdrop Lowboy Trailer |
| 2nd | Taylor Barnes, Luke Fritts, Kalhen Roberts, Mike Nelson and Colton Buck | Stephenville FFA | 53-foot Stepdeck Semi Trailer |
| 3rd | Dustin Pickle, Wrangler Fry, Matthew Suggs and Jesse Dickens | Apple Springs FFA | 22-foot Hydraulic Tilt Deck Car Hauler |
Recreation Classes:
| 1st | Erin Steglich and Clara Steglich | Holland FFA | 10-foot Towable (Trailered) BBQ Pit |
| 2nd | JD Montague | Bandera FFA | Custom Knives |
| 3rd | Hunter Witten | Georgetown FFA | Trailer Pit |
Engine Classes:
| 1st | Corbin Darilek | Magnolia West FFA | 1967 Ford 4000 |
| 2nd | Jeffrey Nemec and Brandon Nemec | Cuero FFA | 1974 Oliver 2255 FWA |
| 3rd | Ryan Rakowitz, Kyle Moy and Nathan Pollok | Floresville FFA | Ford 2000 Tractor |
*Grand champion
**Reserve grand champion