Hempstead High School FFA students recently competed in the annual Waller County Fair, September 28 - October 1, 2022.
During the event, the students also served as buddies during Barnyard Buddies Day at the fair. Several of the students showed multiple animals during the fair including Hempstead High School senior, Ian McCaffrey.
Although this was the first year McCaffrey showed animals at the Waller County Fair, he has participated in the Hempstead ISD FFA Project Show several times. He has been raising a goat named Bucky since early March. From mischievous animals and his animal's unexpected health issues, McCaffrey’s journey to show has not been easy for him. This summer Bucky was attacked by another animal and had to be nursed back to health.
McCaffrey has grown up raising animals. Horses, goats, calves, dogs, and cats, you name it. He originally chose to raise a goat to follow in his older sister's footsteps. His main goal was to raise a goat and then win. That year he won Grand Champion for his goat.
“Goats are probably the hardest to raise,” McCaffrey explained. “You have to walk them at least two miles a day, run them to build muscle, and adequately feed them for their special diets.”
Although he didn’t win the top award this time around he plans to continue working with Bucky for the spring project show.
Hempstead High School ninth-grade student, Clarie Sechelski, is also familiar with overcoming challenges while raising her show animals. Sechelski and her siblings aren’t new to the Waller County Fair. This year she and each of her siblings showed animals at the recent fair. 
Halfway through raising her goat, it fell ill and she had to nurse it back to health. Only a month before the big show did the goat start to show improvement. Sechelski also showed her her 847 lb heifer during the show.
“Our animals have a lot of personality,” Sechelski said. “Some days they are moody, and other days they show you how good they can be.”
Both McCaffrey and Sechelski agreed that joining an organization like 4-H or FFA can be beneficial to students. The time and dedication spent raising animals helps students learn responsibility and leadership skills.
The Hempstead High School FFA program cleaned up during the annual event, receiving awards and ribbons for their individual and team projects. Check out the following results below.
Commercial Pen of 2 Heifers:
Edi Wood
Junior High Point Interview
Ag Mechanics - Texas High School Welding Series Contest:
Welding Team Build-Off:
Cole-David Wood, Juan Rosales, Jase Schwartz, Antonio Castanon
Welding Certified:
Cole - David Wood - Level 3 Certified
Bucket Calf Program:
Two future Hempstead High School FFA members competed in the Bucket Calf Show
Maddie Sechelski won Grand Champion in the Junior Division
Parker Uvalle won Grand Champion in the Senior Division
Breeding Does:
Claire Sechelski
1st Place Medium Weight
3rd Place Overall
Grand Champion Senior Showman
Matt Sechelski
1st Place Heavy Weight
Grand Champion Overall
2nd Place Junior Showman
Catherine Sechelski
1st Place Light Weight
Reserve Grand Champion Overall
3rd Place Junior Showman
Goat:
Ian McCaffery
9th Place in Class 4
Creative Living:
Brylee Sanders
Blue Ribbon - Cookie Dough Extravaganza Cake
Matthew Wawarofsky
3rd Place - Rocky Road Cake
5th Place - Chocolate Oreo Cake
Cole-David Wood
Blue Ribbon - Grandma’s Fried Vanilla Peanut Brittle
Blue Ribbon - Windsor Castle Buttery Wafer Cake
Edi Wood
Blue Ribbon - Farm Fresh Sweet Dream Cake
Blue Ribbon - Sky High Coconut Cream Pie
Rachel Fenwick
Blue Ribbon - Homemade Salsa Platter
Blue Ribbon - Red Velvet Cake
Sophia Deverso
Blue Ribbon - Decorated Cupcakes
Blue Ribbon - Picture of an Ebony Langur Monkey
Haley Carter
4th Place - Magazine Art Picture
Blue Ribbon - Tres Leches Cake
Horse:
Cole-David Wood
Gelding - 6th Place Overall
Halter Class - 2nd Place
Showmanship - 5th Place
Trail Pattern - 6th Place
Mare - Reserve Grand Champion Overall
Halter Class - 2nd Place
Showmanship - 1st Place
Trail Pattern - 3rd Place
Champion Horseman Award
Pigs:
Garret Kwiatkowski
12th Place in Class 4
Collin Payne
12th Place in Class 1
Hayden Payne
14th Place in Class 3
Hailey Anhorn - 2 entries
7th Place in Class 2
13th Place in Class 3
Champion Swine Herdsman
Brianna Padilla
4th Place in Class 2
Chickens:
Mckayla Houston
7th Place Overall
Dontae Houston
13th Place Overall
Scramble Heifer:
Claire Sechelski
12th Place Overall
3rd Place with her Scrapbook
Heifer:
Claire Sechelski
6th Place Class 1 ABC
Braden Roehling
5th Place Class 2 ABC
Champion Senior Novice Showmanship
Steers:
Braden Roehling
2nd Place - Class1 Light Weight ABC
Dontae Houston
5th Place - Class 2 Medium Weight AOB
Livestock Judging Contest:
Hempstead FFA Green - 13th Place Overall Senior Team
Kenzy Cox, Braden Roehling, Brylee Sanders, Dontae Houston
Hempstead FFA White - 22nd Place Overall Senior Team
Garret Kwiatkowski, Anna Brandt, Cole-David Wood, Sarah Brandt
Hempstead FFA Black - 19th Intermediate Individual Overall
Edi Wood
Calf Scramble Participants:
Kenzy Cox and Braden Roehling caught calves in the calf scramble. They will each raise a heifer on their own to show at the 2023 Waller County Fair.