By Ysela Hernandez
Oct. 14, 2018
More than 45 FFA (Future Farmers of America) students from Dobie High School and their animal pals got the chance to strut their stuff at the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo Sept. 24-28.
Students in the department have been hard at work, raising their animals for about six months in hopes of placing at show.
“I was very nervous about showing my pig off at first. All the process we as a whole have undergone together has definitely paid off,” said Junior Madison Medrano. “The only problem I had with my pig was the fact that he wasn’t gaining any weight. If he had weighed more we would have placed better.”
Students have the option to pick between many farm animals, such as pigs, heifers, or goats, that they raise as one of their own and eventually have the choice to keep it or auction it off at the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo. The students form strong emotional bonds with their animals, but they sometimes don’t have the room to keep their animal pal and, unfortunately, have to auction them away.
“I was very attached to this pig,” said junior Juliana Parker. We were super close, and I had the opportunity to see him 2-3 times every day.”
Students spend time, money and dedication into raising their animals. Their hard work can pay off, though, up to $10,000 in fact, when auctioning off their animal.