Whitehouse ag students bring home blue ribbons

Whitehouse High School ag mechanics students and advisers show off the prizes won at recent shows in Houston and San Antonio.

The ag mechanics students at Whitehouse High School, recently competed at Houston and San Antoniom two of the largest national ag mechanics shows. The students contended with schools from across the state of Texas.

The competitions were the culmination of months of collaborative and intensive effort between both students in the ag mechanics program and students in the computer-aided design classes, as well as their teachers, said ag adviser Jay Northcutt.

Beginning in September of 2006, under the direction of Northcutt and Dan Seal, the students began drawing and designing plans for their projects. Then they began several months of hard work to build their trailers.

Kyle Casey showed a red 10 foot flat bed utility trailer; Austin Deweerdt, Amanda Robinson and Clint Dollison competed with their black 12 foot flat bed utility trailer.

Jodie Peterson and Derek Parker also showed a maroon custom designed 10 foot welding trailer.

In addition to the trailer projects, Dakota and Monica Nelson competed in the tractor restoration portion of the contest. The sisters completely restored a 1946 Farmall H tractor.

Ag mechanics students and sisters Dakota and Monica Nelson restored and showed a 1946 Farmall H tractor. Below, Jodie Peterson and Derek Parker show off their customdesigned 10' welding trailer.

On Feb. 8, the students and advisers Northcutt and Caysi Bynum traveled to the San Antonio Livestock show. There at the ag mechanics contest, all three trailers and the tractor received first place blue ribbons.

The welding trailer placed fourth in its class which consisted of a diverse array of trailers and farm equipment.

The trailer shown by Deweerdt, Dollison and Robinson placed fifth in its class of 12-16 foot utility trailers.

Casey's trailer and the Nelsons' restored tractor both placed sixth in their respective classes.

Because of their outstanding success, and high placement in each class, the students, in addition to their blue ribbons, also were awarded several tools and safety equipment valuing over several hundred dollars. These prizes include a 10 piece spray gun set, grinders, a cutting torch, gloves, face shields safety glasses and welding hoods.

Austin Deerwerdt and Amanda Robinson with their prize-winning 12' utility trailer. Below, Kyle Casey and Clinton Dollison with another award-winning trailer.

On Feb. 26 the students, accompanied by Northcutt, Seal and Bynum, traveled to the Houston Livestock show. This is the largest show of its kind in the nation. The Farmall H received a second place red ribbon, and each trailer received a first place blue ribbon in its respective class.

"The students that participated in this event did a superb job, in the construction of their projects, the showmanship of their projects and the way they represented the agriculture program at Whitehouse High School," said Northcutt.