Sargent FFA members recently traveled to the historic Zapata Ranch near the Great Sand Dunes National Park for the 4th Annual FFA Range Judging and Plant Identification Competition. The event brought together 41 students representing five regional FFA chapters for a hands-on, field-based learning experience.
Participating FFA chapters included Sangre De Cristo, Sargent, Monte Vista, Centauri, and Alamosa. The Sargent FFA Range team took second place and had the following results: Â Gold Award: Madeline Mitchell, Silver Awards: Sylvia Daugherty, Kandace Pargin, Kimmy Pargin & Mitchell Peterson. Bronze Award: Jayce Capron. Madeline Mitchell was also the top-scoring individual on the plant ID test!
During the competition, students demonstrated their knowledge by identifying 20 local rangeland plant species and assessing one ecological site. At the ecological site, they completed a detailed rangeland inventory, evaluated plant composition—showcasing their understanding of plant ecology and land management. While scorecards were tallied, the students listened to a presentation from Regan Velasquez with the Conejos Conservation District about his personal experience as a rancher striving to improve the health of his land through grazing management.
The Range Judging Competition is part of the broader FFA Career Development Events (CDEs), designed to challenge students in real-world agricultural science and land stewardship.
The event was a collaborative effort between conservation and rangeland professionals. Generous support was provided by the Mosca-Hooper, Center, Rio Grande, and Conejos Conservation Districts, along with the Rio Grande Watershed Conservation & Education Initiative (RGWCEI). Individual awards were sponsored by the Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management, with special thanks to Ben Berlinger, Chair of the Youth Activities Committee, who assists with FFA range judging events across the state. A sincere thank you goes to all participating FFA advisors, event sponsors, and especially Zapata Ranch and The Nature Conservancy for providing access to their land and facilities. Your support made this educational experience possible for the next generation of agricultural leaders.
