Hallettsville FFA chapter holds their own during Shootout, Quiz Bowl

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Members of the Hallettsville FFA team include (front row, from left) Eric Jalufka, Megan Woytek, Ashley Schmidt, Ashley Teiken, (back row, from left) ag instructor Paul Cook, La Mont Muehr, Brian Jalufka, Tyler Bludau, Wesley Tobola, Stephen Tobola and judge Kevin Chilek. -Staff photo by

April 29, 2004 -- At the recent Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo held in Austin, the Hallettsville FFA held their own in the Texas Shootout and Beef Quiz Bowl.

For the fourth year, the Texas Shootout, an academic competition which includes knowledge of beef, poultry, swine, rabbits, sheep and goats, offered the students a written test, followed by a competition where the students demonstrated their knowledge of animal production skills.

This year, Ashley Schmidt of the Hallettsville FFA won the overall championship, along with a check for $1,500.

Part of the group also competed in the Beef Quiz Bowl, which was added to the competition in 2003 to promote agricultural education.

"It consists of teams of four competing on a head to head basis, answering beef cattle science based questions," according to information from the Texas Shootout and Beef Quiz Bowl.

The competition was organized to help youth learn about beef, enhance their practices of life skills in self-discipline, observation, listening and making and defending decisions, all the while working as a team.

The team from Hallettsville placed second in the Beef Bowl and third in the Shoot Out.