SONORA Val Verde County’s senior wool judges were named top judging team in the nation during the 46th annual National 4-H Wool Judging Contest in Sonora. The contest was held in conjunction with the 69th annual Sonora Wool and Mohair Show and the sixth annual FFA Wool Judging Contest this month.
The team’s score of 1,784 was only 10 points higher than the second place Sutton County team’s.
The Val Verde County team members are Laura Allen, Houston Dobbins and Alex Scharton. Laura’s father, John Allen, Texas Cooperative Extension agent for Val Verde County, and Bill Zuberbueler, Val Verde County rancher, coached the winning team. Laura’s score of 639 points earned her top individual honors.
With a score of 1,727 points, the James Madison FFA club of San Antonio was the winner of the National FFA Wool Judging Contest for the third year in a row. The team Jerred Griffith, Cody Ledwig, Melissa McKim and Kimberly Long was coached by Mike Wallace. McKim was the contest’s top individual scorer with 591 points.
Second place went to the Wall FFA team, coached by Frank Hermesmeyer. New Mexico’s Cliff FFA team took third place.
The National 4-H and FFA wool judging contests are two highlights of the Sonora Wool and Mohair Show. The show features youth judging contests and wool and mohair fleece competitions in junior and open categories. The event is sponsored by the Sonora Lions Club and Sonora Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Sonora Wool and Mohair Co. and Extension.
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