Laney Jo Volkers, a sophomore at Columbia High School, won Reserve Champion Swine Showman for FFA at the Western Idaho Fair. This enabled her to participate in the Large Animal Round Robin on Monday, August 23. In the Round Robin, the champion and reserve champion showmen from eight large animal species compete against each other. Each participant demonstrates showmanship skills and answers knowledge-based questions about beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, meat goats, dairy goats, sheep, horses and alpacas. Laney Jo earned first place, earning the title of FFA Champion Round Robin Showman.
With this win, she qualified for the Super Round Robin held at the Western Idaho Fair. Each County in the Southern District (Ada, Canyon, Owyhee, Elmore, Gem/Boise, Valley, Payette, Washington, and Adams) and Malheur County, Oregon, are invited to enter their highest ranking Senior 4-H and/or FFA Round Robin winners, who again compete for the title of Champion Showman. Laney Jo was awarded the champion of this event as well.
Laney Jo is secretary of the Nampa FFA chapter. A big credit goes out to her Nampa FFA advisors Janna Volkers, Tami Frank, and Sharen Olson, who helped her prepare for these competitions.