PICTURED ABOVE: Bear River FFA Sweethearts Pageant winners - (left to right) Kinley Toone (3rd attendant), Tayson Fowers, Saige Murray (FFA Sweetheart), Cutter Murray, Brinley Rhodes (2nd Attendant), Morgan Zollinger, Sydney Wilkinson (1st attendant), Jaxon Norton, Brinley Higgs (Best Unofficial Dress) and Bryson Archer.
BEAR RIVER HIGH - By Brinley Rhodes, Bear River FFA Chapter Reporter, February 27, 2022
Crowning an FFA Sweetheart was once a longstanding tradition at Bear River High School, one that alumni can look back on with a smile and a flood of good memories. But in recent years that pageant had become just that, a memory.
Thanks to Mrs. Melissa Ingram and her committee of Kayla Halat, Aubrey Rose, Mckayla Morris, Teak Christensen and Sydney Wilkinson, the FFA Sweetheart competition has made a comeback.
On Wednesday, February 16, the competition had contestants participating in a host of timed farm tasks, including roping a “wild dummy,” 5 a.m. cow milking, stacking straw bales, carry water buckets like it 1885 and the house is burning down and catching a crazy chicken.
Following the speed events, each girl was required to take a written knowledge test on national and chapter FFA history.
On February 17, the contestants were able to show off their best “unofficial” dress in the BRHS commons. Each girl was escorted by a male FFA member of their choice down the red carpet where they were to answer an on-stage question describing their personalities. Judges scored their appearance, poise and public speaking skills.
After the numbers were tallied, Saige Murray, daughter of Mike and Trecia Murray of Bear River City was named the 2022 FFA Sweetheart. Serving as her court are First Attendant Sydney Wilkinson, daughter of Shaun and Laura Wilkinson of Plymouth; Second Attendant Brinley Rhodes, daughter of TJ and Tiffany Rhodes of Fielding; and Third Attendant Kinley Toone, daughter of Cam and Katie Toone of Tremonton.
Other awards given out include:
Milk Maid Award: Mikayla Van Tassell (Best technique while milking a cow)
Extemporaneous Speaking Award: Kloee Stokes (Best answer and poise when asked questions)
Cowboy Cutie Award: Cady Nicholas (Best Roper)
Ranch Hand Award: Macie Gardner (Best Water hauler and straw bale stacker)
Sentinel Award: Lainee Norman (Most welcoming and encouraging in all portions of the contest)
Chicken Wrangler Award: Taylee Tanner (Best chicken catcher, when six tiny, feathered velociraptors were let loose)
Wise Owl Award: Sierra Shaffer (Best FFA knowledge test score)
Best Unofficial Dress Award: Brinley Higgs (Best dressed on the night of the pageant)
Miss Congeniality: Jaci Palmer (Best personality)
This “Blast from Bear River’s Past” was an unforgettable night and hopefully will once again become an honored tradition of Bear River FFA.
Photos courtesy of Bear River FFA
PICTURED ABOVE: Bear River FFA Sweetheart Pageant contestants - Top row (left to right) Cady Nicholas, Macie Gardner, Sierra Shaffer, Saige Murray, Taylee Tanner, Jaci Palmer and Kinley Toone. Bottom row (left to right) Sydney Wilkinson, Mikayla Van Tassell, Kloee Stokes, Brinley Rhodes, Brinley Higgs and Lainee Norman.
PICTURED ABOVE: FFA Sweetheart Pageant escorts - Top row (left to right) Tayson Fowers, Cutter Murray, Dustin Halat, Hayden Kotter, Gunnar Gardner, Garrett Smith and Ryan Hinck. Bottom row (left to right) Carson Van Tassell, Jaxon Norton, Morgan Zollinger, Bryson Archer, Tristen Sorensen and Tyler Dennis.
PICTURED ABOVE: Bear River FFA Sweethearts committee - (left to right) Mckayla Morris, Kayla Halat, Sydney Wilkinson and Aubrey Rose.