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2022 OYE Ag Mechanics Contest Ends with Success and Promise

After another year full of hundreds of elite projects, the Oklahoma Youth Expo crowns the 2022 Ag Mechanics contest winners. 

 

On Wednesday March 9, 2022, the Oklahoma Youth Expo crowned Woodland FFA and Frontier FFA with the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Ag Mechanics exhibits.

With 152 entries, up 50 percent from 2021, the competition was greater and more intense than ever before, said contest superintendent, Jerry Renshaw. 

“Here we are in year three, and you can tell things are getting more challenging because of the ingenuity these kids possess,” Renshaw said. “It’s great to see the numbers and the sophistication of students’ projects grow because it shows how active they are within their chapters.”

Projects are organized by category and size, and they vary from wildlife displays, trailers, decorative pieces, and more.

The Grand Champion exhibit, a tilt bed multi axel trailer, was exhibited by Woodland FFA. Teammates were Josie Dossier, Landee Dossier, Trista Kelly and Danner Lessert.

. The Reserve Grand Champion exhibit of a grain tender, belonged to Brayden Rexford of Frontier FFA. 

Participating students are able to learn basic skills such as welding, cutting, and fabricating metal, but they also build entrepreneurship and business skills by having the opportunity to market their services at the competition.

Adding this contest in addition to the livestock show presents more opportunities to ag programs across the state and adds yet another way for OYE to showcase the diverse talents and hardwork of Oklahoma students, Renshaw said.

One of those hard working students who competed in the 2022 contest is Shattuck senior, Eric Quisenberry.

An active member of his local FFA chapter and current member of the Oklahoma Agriculture Youth Council, Quisenberry crafted and exhibited a custom cattle working tub and alley this year.

“Over my past couple of years at this contest, I’ve improved my projects and grown in my welding skills and abilities, which has been great,” Quisenberry said. “Going forward, I know I will be able to use the lessons and experiences I’ve gained here to prepare myself for success in this next chapter of my life.”

This year, Quisenberry was awarded Overall Bronze Medallion with his cattle working tub and alley. 

Looking to the future, Renshaw said the sky’s the limit for the OYE Ag Mechanics competition.

“I have no doubt our growth rate will continue to heighten and we will make great strides forward,” Renshaw said. “There is nowhere for us to go but up, and I’m excited to see what comes in the years to come.”

The 107th Annual Oklahoma Youth Expo is set to be held March 8 through the 18, 2022 in Oklahoma City. For the latest information regarding OYE, visit okyouthexpo.com

— Written by Emile Mittelstaedt

The Oklahoma Youth Expo is the largest youth event in the state of Oklahoma. As a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, more than 7,000 exhibitors, their educators and families travel to Oklahoma City each spring from all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties to exhibit their livestock projects. Throughout the course of the ten-day event, OYE has a $25 million impact on Oklahoma City.  For more information about the Oklahoma Youth Expo visit okyouthexpo.com.