Multiple Blaine County youths were winners in the recent Oklahoma Junior Wheat show and received some $16,000 in prizes.
On the FFA side, Destry Swaim of Okeene FFA was both the first place and grand champion winner with Doublestop CL Plus variety. He is the son of Brandon and Robin Swain.
The entries are tested on production, milling and baking. He will receive a $3,000 scholarship, a $750 premium from Oklahoma Genetics and an additional $500 premium from Westbred for being the FFA champion. There was a $350 premium from Oklahoma Wheat Research Foundation, along with a $35 premium for the production, milling and baking contest trophies.
Griffin and Carson Payne, both of Thomas-Fay-Custer FFA placed third and fourth, respectively, using the same variety as Swaim, Doublestop CL Plus.
Saidee Wright of Lomega FFA placed seventh and Erin Smith of Hydro-Eakly FFA was eighth. Brax Meacham, also from Hydro-Eakly was in ninth place. Ashley Purvine, Thomas Fay-Custer, rounded out the top ten.
Tyler Sawyer of Okeene FFA placed 11th, with Rebecca Purvine of Thomas Fay Custer coming in 12th. Griffin Payne, of Thomas Fay Custer, placed 13th and broke the mold, using LCS Atomic AX for his entry. Brayson Roberts, in 14th place, is from Okeene FFA.
Byer Roberts, of Okeene, was in 16th place and Preston Boeckman was in 17th place. Boeckman is also from Okeene FFA.
Grant Robison of Okeene used Showdown variety to place 21st.
Entries from 4-H members locally include Jayce Schutlz, of Okeene 4-H, who was in second place. She is the daughter of Brandon and Lori Schultz, and placed first in milling and production and 11th in baking. She won a $2,000 scholarship, $50 from the Oklahoma Research Foundation, $400 from Oklahoma Genetics and $55 for the milling and baking scores.
Schultz followed by Logan Chance, also of Okeene 4-H in third place. Mia Foman of Lomega 4-H placed fifth, followed in sixth by Bryson Sawyer of Okeene 4-H.
Logan Chance was a double winner, placing seventh with a Green Hammer variety entry. Taylor Robison of Okeene 4-H placed ninth while Jayce Schultz rounded out the top ten with an Endurance variety entry.
Danny Miller of Thomas-Fay-Custer 4-H placed 11th. Baylea Robison of Okeene 4-H placed 12th with her Showdown entry and Emery Fisher, also of Okeene 4-H was in 13th place with an OK Corral variety. Baylea Robison tops up the list in 15th place with Doublestop CL Plus.
According to Kim Anderson, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service grain marketing specialist; “Participating students learn what it takes to produce milling quality wheat.” He also stated that “The purpose of this program is to promote the production of quality wheat and teach 4-H and FFA youth about wheat production, marketing, and management.”
. The contest is sponsored by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Oklahoma Wheat Research Foundation, Oklahoma Genetics Incorporated, Westbred, Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Department of Career Technology and Education.
Although the Lomega and Thomas schools are not in Blaine County, it is possible that the wheat was produced inside the county.