FFA livestock show rewards student work

The Grand Champion Steer was raised by Nick Cain, and sold for $20,000, more than $6000 above last year. The buyer was First Construction Group.
The Grand Champion Steer was raised by Nick Cain, and sold for $20,000, more than $6000 above last year. The buyer was First Construction Group.

ALDINE – The FFA students from all five high schools held their 59th Annual Livestock Show and Sale of Champions last Friday night, with sales equalling last year’s amounts, and in some cases exceeding last year’s bids by a substantial number. There were 60 lots, including art, buckles, cakes, and the animals that the students raised all year.

The top grand champion steer was raised by Nick Cain, and sold for $20,000. The buyer was First Construction Group, and Patrick Mouton.

Other notable sales were grand champion pig, raised by Ravone Gooden and sold for $8000, an increase of $2000 over the previous year. The buyer was AISD Operations Group.

The grand champion goat was raised by Alondra Lara, and sold for $7000. The buyer was the Superintendents Group.

At the beginning of the show, director Franklin Higgins and FFA students presented special belt buckles to Superintendents Wanda Bamberg and Archie Blanson for their support of the program.

Auctioneer Ed Phillips, a graduate of Aldine ISD, kept the bidding lively and fun with his remarks.

The program opened with the national anthem sung by the MacArthur High School choral group.

After the show, the Optimist club raffles sides of beef and pork. Winners were David Bodden and Betty Simmons for the beef, and Avery Stewart and Letoya Beal for the pork sides.