LaCrosse FFA meats trio places fourth at nationals

Lacrosse

Members of the LaCrosse FFA meats team had the opportunity to compete in the National Western Round-Up competition in Denver, Colo. The team placed fourth in the national event.

Abigail McGregor, Britte Harder and Nicole Harder made the trip after being approved by the state advisor to be the team to represent Washington state at the national contest. Only one team per state was allowed to compete in Denver.

The day before the competition, the girls went to Laramie, Wyo., for a practice contest at the University of Wyoming. They practiced for the better part of three hours and later proclaimed that it was the most thorough and informative practice they had experienced.

The practices were done in a meat cooler, but team members noted the cooler actually felt warm compared to the harsh winter temperatures which hit the area at that time.

Results and awards were announced on Sunday morning. The girls were surprised at their success as a three-person team competing against four-member teams.

Britte earned 10th place individually in both the placing and grading categories. Nicole placed 10th in the retail category, and Abigail placed ninth. As a team, the girls placed third overall in the retail category. In the overall competition, Britte placed sixth individually and was offered a scholarship to Colorado State University.