A strong mix of team success, individual honors and statewide recognition highlighted the Wessington Springs FFA Chapter’s performance at the 2026 South Dakota State FFA Convention, held April 20–22 in Brookings.
Leading the way was the agronomy team, which placed second overall to earn a gold rating. Individually, Max Klein finished third and Madilyn Gaikowski ninth, both earning gold honors, while Mercedes Jones added a silver with an 18th-place finish and Taryn Bartel earned bronze.
In veterinary science, Wessington Springs secured a fourth-place team finish and a gold rating. Ella Fagerhaug (23rd), Addyson Orth (25th) and Remie Roduner (34th) each earned silver honors.
The meats evaluation team brought home a seventh-place finish and a silver team rating, led by Hayes Christensen’s 15thplace gold performance. Tucker Thompson placed 28th for silver, while Brooklyn Caffee (40th) and Rylan Fagerhaug (43rd) each earned bronze.
Additional career development event (CDE) results included: Floriculture - 16th place team (bronze), with Haiden Boschee earning silver and Alexis Roesler bronze Horse Evaluation - 28th place team (bronze), with Alexis Roesler earning bronze Livestock Evaluation 29th place team (bronze), highlighted by Tenley Olinger’s 14th-place gold and Teagan Scheel’s 22ndplace silver Kohen Mebius competed individually in Milk Quality and Products, earning a bronze rating.
Beyond CDEs, Wessington Springs FFA members were recognized across a range of proficiency and leadership categories. Ella Kolousek earned top honors in Goat Production Proficiency, while Luke Larson was recognized in Fruit Production Proficiency. Mercedes Jones placed second in Specialty Crop Proficiency and was also named a STAR finalist in Ag Business. Hayes Christensen was honored as the District STAR Greenhand.
The chapter’s success extended into teambased leadership events, as Wessington Springs qualified for the South Dakota Farmers Union Farm Safety Quiz Bowl Championships. Team members Ella Fagerhaug, Remie Roduner, Lily Roesler and Wyatt Arhart earned their spot during convention competition and will advance to the state finals at the South Dakota State Fair on September 5.
The Farm Safety Quiz Bowl challenges students to apply real-world knowledge of agricultural safety, encouraging awareness of hazards on farms and ranches.
With strong finishes across multiple disciplines and recognition at both the individual and team levels, the Wessington Springs FFA Chapter capped the state convention with a performance that reflected both depth and dedication across its program.