Sehnert raises champions in FFA fair debut

An incoming ninth-grader is able to show livestock at the San Diego County Fair as a Future Farmers of America member, and Delana Sehnert utilized that opportunity this year.

Sehnert's first county fair as an FFA member included FFA reserve champion honors for both market goats and market hogs, and she was also given the market goat supreme reserve champion honor.

"It was crazy," said Sehnert. "I was so lucky to get it this year. I've been working really hard."

All three of the animals Sehnert showed this year won their weight classes. Bunny, her goat entry, was the FFA medium weight champion as well as the FFA reserve champion and the supreme reserve champion. Sehnert showed two hogs: Fetty Wap won first place among FFA medium weight pigs before adding the FFA reserve champion honor, and Poncho took FFA lightweight champion designation.

Sehnert has won reserve weight class champion recognition in the past but had not advanced to higher levels.

"This year I showed in it not only once, but twice," said Sehnert.

Sehnert was 9 when she first showed animals at San Diego County Fair in 2011. She joined Fallbrook 4-H at the age of nine and showed goats and pigs under her 4-H affiliation through 2015. She remains in Fallbrook 4-H but showed all three of her animals at the 2016 county fair under her Fallbrook FFA affiliation.

"This year I actually wasn't supposed to be doing goats, but we ended up buying him at the auction," Sehnert said.

Bunny was bred by Brem Show Goats, which is in the Tulare County town of Strathmore, and born in late fall or early winter. The Sehnert family purchased Bunny from Brem Show Goats and took over the male Boer goat in April. Bunny weighed 84 pounds when he was placed on the fair scales June 27.

The FFA weight class champions compete against each other for FFA grand champion and FFA reserve champion recognition. Samantha Christensen of Escondido FFA raised a 70-pound goat which won lightweight champion distinction and then the FFA grand champion award. Bunny beat out the other two weight champions to give Sehnert the FFA reserve champion banner.

"We were all shocked," said Sehnert, who didn't expect to be as successful as she was in her first year with FFA. "We didn't go to the fair to win. We wanted to have fun."

The FFA grand champion, the FFA reserve champion, the 4-H or Grange grand champion, and the 4-H or Grange reserve champion animals then compete for supreme grand champion and supreme reserve champion honors. Christensen's goat was proclaimed the supreme grand champion and Buddy was selected as the supreme reserve champion.

"I was so surprised," Sehnert said. "I couldn't believe it."

During the junior livestock auction July 2, Buddy was sold to JPI for $1,100.

Ottenwalter Show Pigs had a show hog sale in Colusa in mid-March. The Sehnert family purchased Fetty Wap and Poncho, both of whom were male Yorkshire cross pigs born in December. Fetty Wap weighed 250 pounds when he was brought to the fair, which placed him in the medium weight class.

"I really wanted him to be one of the champions," said Sehnert.

A 242-pound hog raised by Johanna Jimenez of Escondido FFA was the FFA medium weight class runner-up to Fetty Wap. The second-place pig in the lightweight class was also purchased by the Sehnert family at the Ottenwalter show hog sale. Taryn Sehnert named her pig Mr. Fallbrook and nurtured him to 226 pounds by the fair registration date.

Taryn Sehnert graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2016 and was thus able to conclude her Fallbrook FFA career in the same show with her sister.

"We got to show together," Delana Sehnert said. "We just loved to do it because it's fun."

Kayla Williams of All Tribes FFA raised a 278-pound pig which was chosen as the FFA grand champion hog. Sehnert earned FFA reserve champion distinction for Fetty Wap.

Normally a junior livestock exhibitor can only sell one large animal at auction, but if the same FFA, 4-H, or Grange member earns FFA or 4-H/Grange grand or reserve champion with more than one species, both animals are offered at the auction block. JPI paid $7 per pound for Fetty Wap.

Poncho was sold at a barn sale. He was purchased for $5 per pound by Rita Drake and Marie Sanboe.

Sehnert was in the showmanship competition with both Bunny and Fetty Wap but did not place in goat showmanship and was fifth in swine showmanship.

Sehnert noted the role of her family and friends in her success. "They were a humongous help," she said.