Akron-Westfield FFA members are preparing their livestock for this
Saturday's 13th annual A-W FFA Alumni Livestock Show. They're grooming
their animals, practicing leading them and other show maneuvers, and
dreaming about winning. Behind the scenes alumni members are also making
final preparations for this event, which gives exhibitors an extra
opportunity for showing their livestock. One of the tasks the alumni
members have is picking judges for the livestock show. This year there
will be two judges: Tom Lehner of Le Mars will judge beef, swine and
sheep and Dustin Norberg of Sioux City will judge the dairy cattle and
goats.
Tom Lehner,
who is the brother of Sandy Koch of Akron, is well-known at the A-W FFA
Alumni Livestock Show. He has judged at least five of the 12 shows,
including the very first year the show was held. Lehner, a 1977 graduate
of Le Mars Gehlen Catholic High School, now farms and raises show cattle
just south
of Le
Mars. He is involved in both crop production of corn, beans and alfalfa,
and the cattle industry. Lehner has 70 head of stock cattle, mainly
Maine Angus crossbreds with a few shorthorns. He and his wife, DeAnn,
have two daughters: Dana, who just graduated from Briar Cliff
University, and Tara, who will be a sophomore at Le Mars Community High
School. Lehner began showing cattle and swine as a child with the Le
Mars FFA chapter and in 4-H. He also competed in livestock judging
contests at the Plymouth County Fair, Clay County Fair and the Iowa
State Fair.
The
tradition has continued. The Lehner family has been showing cattle for
about the past 20 years. Dana, who was the first female president of the
Le Mars FFA chapter, showed livestock in both FFA and the Grant Clever
Clovers 4-H Club while Tara only shows in 4-H. When the girls aren't
showing, their father can often be found in the show ring at open calf
shows. In the past, he has shown at the National Chi-Angus Show in
Louisville, Ky., and the Iowa State Fair. All their show cattle are
home-raised, said Lehner, explaining that he has used artificial
insemination techniques for the past 19 years. To me, it's an honor to
be asked back again (to judge at the A-W FFA Alumni Livestock Show),
said Lehner. It tells me I'm treating the kids right. I kind of like
what I'm doing, he said, explaining
this is
the only show he judges at this time. Once his daughters are done, he
will
seek more
judging opportunities. Every year is a new experience from seeing
new faces
to how the livestock industry changes and keeping up with that, said
Lehner. I've watched these kids from their first year of showing
through their graduation how they've changed in their showing ability
and the livestock they've brought has gotten better every year, he
said. It's kind of like watching your own kids growing up, said Lehner
about judging at the livestock show. I enjoy
being
around kids involved in 4-H and FFA. If I can help them mature,
improve their herd -- help them in any way I can, I genuinely like doing
that, said Lehner. When the exhibitors are at the Plymouth County Fair,
every one comes and talks
with me,
said Lehner. It's just amazing how friendly kids are in the area. I
like the livestock end of it seeing good livestock, said Lehner,
adding it doesn't matter what livestock, all of it: cattle, swine, sheep
and more.
The A-W
FFA Alumni Livestock Show begins at 8:30 a.m. at Barwick's Lot, west of
Siouxland Propane Company in Akron.
