Brokaw FFA Soils Team Competes at National Competition
Launch the media gallery 1 playerThe Brokaw FFA Soil Judging team recently competed in the National Land and Range Judging Contest in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 2. The team consisted of Brett Robberts, Alex Baker, Bradlie Wilmes, Ethan Herzberg, and alternate, Brady Williams. The soils judging team qualified for the national competition after receiving 1st place at the Iowa State FFA Soils Contest held in October. At the competition, the Brokaw team placed 18th out of a total of 102 teams from across the country. Bradlie Wilmes placed 21st overall out of 405 total participants. This is the second highest individual placing a participant from Clarinda has had at the national competition behind Jon McNees’ 3rd place finish in 2016 and it is the second highest team finish a Brokaw team has had at the national level behind the 6th place finish in 2016 as well. This marks the tenth time in the last sixteen years that a soils judging team from Clarinda qualified for the national competition.
The event included the judging of four soil pits. The scorecard used to judge the soil pits is divided into two parts. In the first part, contestants must determine textures, slope, depth of soil, erosion, permeability, and runoff to select a land capability class, and in part two, they must decide on recommended vegetative and mechanical land treatments.
During the trip, the members toured the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum and the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum. Members spent time practicing for the contest at practice pits and also attended an awards banquet as well.