The Eureka Springs High School’s agriculture education program has developed a new chapter of Future Farmers of America, now in its second year. Next weekend, for the first time, Eureka Springs FFA members will join with members from Green Forest, Berryville and Alpena to put on the Carroll County FFA Benefit Roughstock Challenge Battle of the Banks presented by Clay Maxey Ford, at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the indoor arena at the Carroll County Fairgrounds in Berryville.
Traditionally, areas east of Kings River Berryville, Green Forest and Alpena – have been considered agricultural while west of the Kings River has been more concentrated on tourism. But there is also a big Ag presence in the west part of the country.
“We are trying to close the gap and unite people interested in agriculture from county line to county line,” Eureka Springs Ag teacher Jason McAfee said.
McAfee said the event is designed to actively seek to develop community connections and raise agriculture awareness and funding to support great opportunities for students. Events include bareback riding, bull riding, barrel racing, junior barrel racing and saddle bronc riding.
FFA students will be running the gates and concessions throughout the rodeo, which will feature local contestants in addition to Noah Krepps, World Champion Freestyle Bullfighter from Jasper. The five banks providing $1,000 sponsorships include Equity, Arvest, Cornerstone, First National Bank Berryville, and Anstaff.
In the past, FFA members from each chapter have been able to play fantasy rodeo in the same manner as fantasy football and baseball. This year, that opportunity has been extended to the bank sponsors. Each bank will pick their favorite rodeo contestants, and the bank with the highest cumulative score at the end of the night wins. Their sponsorship money will be refunded to be donated to the charity of their choice. The bank will also receive a travelling trophy to be displayed throughout the year.
“We will also provide radio recognition during the week prior to the event, as well as visual advertisement for the Carroll County FFA Benefit Roughstock Challenge,” McAfee said. “During intermission, each bank representative will be recognized in the arena to show how much we truly appreciate their participation in our event.”
The idea of the Carroll County FFA Roughstock Challenge came to fruition during a FFA Leadership contest in Harrison in December 2014.
“The FFA chapter advisors and Roughstock Unlimited, along with Clay Maxey Ford, began this venture with the intentions of raising funds for the local FFA chapters as a way to further education of our local students,” McAfee said. “During the last four years, this event has generated over $15,000 which has been used by the Carroll County FFA chapters to attend district, state and national conventions. It also pays for FFA’s annual award banquet. We have been fortunate to receive an enormous amount of support from the communities.”
While agriculture is traditionally thought of as a male-dominated occupation, nearly half of the Eureka FFA students are female. “Women are very involved in FFA and agriculture,” McAfee said. “Several students come from farming families.”
McAfee said agriculture is the largest industry in Carroll County and the state. Arkansas grows 50 percent of the nation’s rice, according to Arkansas Farm Bureau, and is a major livestock producer. McAfee said some people in our area may not know about the rice production in the Delta, but most are well aware that the county is a major producer and processor of poultry.
Gold sponsors in Carroll County who support this event include Midwest Equipment, Smith Drug, Pony Express, Island Airco, The Crescent Hotel, Holiday Island Flower and Gifts, Hill Country Hardware & Lumber, Sugar and Spite, Sparky’s, Ozark Fried Chicken and Fish, Windle and Associates CPA, Master’s Sign Co., Greer Excavation, Shawn the Insulator, Worley Tire and Rental, Sigmon Simmental, Nighthawk Customs, Warren Welding, Evans & Evans, Carroll County Republicans, North Arkansas Livestock Auction, Bonham Powell, Powell Feed and Milling, Powell Home & Ranch, Kirk’s Excavation and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
For more information, call (870) 480-2818.