Since the week after school started, the Jacksonville High School FFA Chapter has been training for the Equine Judging Section 13 CDE.
A CDE (Career Development Event) is a program that trains FFA members for future agriculture-related careers in real life settings, and this one happens to specialize in the judging of horses. Students are required to know the make up of a horse, the differences from breed to breed, and how the four classes (English Halter, Western Halter, English Riding and Western Riding) differentiate.
The JHS FFA competitors judged against many other schools in the area last Thursday, September 18 and the varsity team came out in first place with Marrion Ore placing eighth individually and Sydney Thomas placing second individually. When asked, Sydney noted that she has trained at the Westgate Stables, where the contest was held, for years.