South Ridge FFA Rally Showcases Student Talent
Posted on 03/31/2026
The 9th annual South Ridge Area Middle and High School Career and Leadership Development Event (CDE/LDE) Rally was held at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham, Virginia on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. 

The Virginia FFA South Ridge Area is composed of the following localities: Alleghany County, Bedford County, Botetourt County, Campbell County, Craig County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Henry County, Highland County, Montgomery County, Patrick County, Pittsylvania County, Radford City, and Roanoke City.

Nearly 400 FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) members from programs in the above-named localities demonstrated classroom and laboratory instruction in multiple career and leadership development events, many of them serving as state qualifiers that advance students to compete at the 100th Annual Virginia FFA State Convention to be held at Virginia Tech June 8-11, 2026, moreover, to prepare them to be industry leaders and productive citizens of Virginia’s Commonwealth. South Ridge Area Rally participants also attended student engagement workshops led by members of the 2025-2026 Virginia FFA Association State Officer Team.

South Ridge Area Rally Career Development Events
Floriculture
Hippology
Nursery Landscape
Senior Division Agricultural Mechanics
Small Engines Troubleshooting (State Qualifier)
Tractor Operators – Junior Division (State Qualifier)
Tractor Operators – Senior Division (State Qualifier)
Tractor Troubleshooting (State Qualifier)
Veterinary Science
Middle School Agriscience Technology
Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Middle School Food & Fiber
Middle School Plant Science
Middle School Small Animal Care
 
South Ridge Area Rally Leadership Development Events
Creed Speaking (State Qualifier)
Discussion Meet
Extemporaneous Public Speaking (State Qualifier)
Prepared Public Speaking – Junior Division (State Qualifier)
Prepared Public Speaking – Senior Division (State Qualifier)
Here is a breakdown of the competition results for Pittsylvania County Schools’ FFA chapters:

Tenth Place
Braelyn Adams (Chatham Middle FFA Team A) – Middle School Small Animal Care
Addysin Martin (Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center FFA) – Veterinary Science
 
Eighth Place
Chatham Middle FFA Team B – Middle School Small Animal Care
 
Seventh Place
Evan Wellborn (Chatham Middle FFA Team A) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
 
Sixth Place
Robert Gray (Chatham Middle FFA Team B) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
 
Fifth Place
Lucy Roach (Chatham Middle FFA Team B) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Cody Emerson (Chatham FFA) – Tractor Operators Senior Division
Cody Emerson (Chatham FFA) – Tractor Troubleshooting
 
Fourth Place
Evan Wellborn (Chatham Middle FFA) – Middle School Agriscience Technology
Cellus Owens (Chatham Middle FFA Team B) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Avery Merricks (Tunstall High FFA) – Tractor Operators Senior Division
Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center FFA [Team Placing] – Veterinary Science
 
Third Place
Aubrey East (Chatham Middle FFA) – Middle School Agriscience Technology
Addison Gross (Chatham Middle FFA Team A) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Jezabel Taylor (Tunstall High FFA) – Extemporaneous Public Speaking (Gold Rating)
 
Second Place
Addison Gross (Chatham Middle FFA) – Middle School Agriscience Technology
Chatham Middle FFA Team B – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Aubrey East (Chatham Middle FFA Team A) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Chatham Middle FFA Team A – Middle School Small Animal Care
Chatham FFA [Team Placing] – Tractor Troubleshooting
 
First Place
Chatham Middle FFA [Team Placing] – Middle School Agriscience Technology
Chatham Middle FFA Team A – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Danielle Gray (Chatham Middle FFA Team A) – Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl
Lucy Roach (Chatham Middle FFA Team A) – Middle School Small Animal Care
Dixie Stowe (Chatham FFA) – Creed Speaking
Jezabel Taylor (Tunstall High FFA) – Discussion Meet
Henry East (Chatham FFA) – Tractor Troubleshooting

Thank you to the following Pittsylvania County Schools Agricultural Education teachers who served in leadership roles for the South Ridge Area Rally:

• Floriculture Assistant, Allison Reiter, Chatham High School
• Hippology Assistant, Lesley Bassett, Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center
• Senior Division Agricultural Mechanics Assistant, Allison Reiter, Chatham High School
• Junior and Senior Division Tractor Operators Career Development Event Assistant, Lesley Bassett, Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center
• Junior and Senior Division Tractor Operators Career Development Event Superintendent, Clark Gregory, Gretna High School
• Middle School FFA Quiz Bowl Career Development Event Superintendent, Jamie Stowe, Chatham Middle School
• South Ridge Area Middle and High School CDE/LDE Rally Superintendent, Jessica M. Jones, Tunstall High School
 
A special thank you to the following South Ridge Area Rally sponsors:
• Bedford County Farm Bureau
• Beverage Tractor
• Boone Tractor
• James River Equipment
• The Olde Dominion Agricultural Foundation