Eastern Wyoming College’s Agriculture Program held their annual awards banquet Wednesday, April 21^st.  The national anthem was sung by sophomore Ruby Speicher, Hotchkiss, CO who will be singing the anthem one evening at the College National Finals Rodeo that will be held in Casper, WY in June. The banquet offers the opportunity to recognize outstanding freshman and sophomores; graduating sophomores; scholarship recipients and team members.

Freshman Top Hand (left to right): Thayrn Barker, Jonathan Pieper, Kaden Vincent, Tristan Hunter

Sophomore Top Hand (left to right): Abby Thornburg, Edwin Lucero-Garcia, Karissa Phillips, J. Cameron Jensen

“Top Hand Awards” are given each year to the freshman and sophomores that excel in both academics and campus/community involvement.  These students signify what the EWC Agriculture Program stands for. This year’s freshman recipient includes: Tharyn Barker, Evanston, WY; Tristan Hunter, Ardmore, SD; Jonathan Pieper, Mitchell, NE; and Kaden Vincent, Rushville, NE.  Sophomore recipients include Edwin Lucero-Garcia, Fort Morgan, CO; J. Cameron Jensen, Bingham, NE; Karissa Phillips, Rock Springs, WY; and Abby Thornburg, Bassett, NE.  Freshman were awarded jackets and sophomores received belt buckles. Keisha Rayhill, Martin, SD was the most improved Ag Student for 2021.

Graduates (left to right front row): Ellie Anderson, Shay Hough, Keisha Rayhill, Abby Thornburg: (Back row left to right); Ty Bass, Edwin Lucero-Garcia, Cameron Jensen, Brett McAbee, Karissa Phillips

The program recognized twelve graduates including: Teagan Abts, General Agriculture, Ovid, CO; Ellie Anderson, Ag Communications, Meeker, CO; Ty Bass, Beef Production Certificate, Brewster, NE; Lucero-Garcia, Ag Business; Shay Hough, Ag Communications, Gillette, WY; Kaitlyn Jacobs, Ag Business, Scottsbluff, NE; Jensen, Farm and Ranch Management; Brett McAbee, Ag Business, Ansley, NE; Phillips, Ag Business; Rayhill, Farm and Ranch Management; Megan Salzer, Ag Business, Newell, SD; Thornburg, Ag Business. Each graduate was presented with an alumni bag.

Agriculture students that are rodeo team members were recognized and include: Abts; Canton Afdahl; Anderson; Bass; Baily Coombs; Emily DeAngelo; Hough; Hanna Huffman; Hunter; Jacobs; Jensen; McAbee; Kailey Pinney; Phillips; and Rayhill.

Sagebrush and Roses scholarship recipients for the 2020-2021 academic year included Coombs and Agriculture students serving on student senate include: McAbee, Vice president; Corbin Batt, off-campus freshman representative, Mitchell, NE; and Pieper, on-campus freshman representative.

Livestock Judgers and show team members were also honored. Thornburg and Lucero-Garcia each received a team belt buckle. Thornburg plans to continue her judging career at the University of Missouri. Jackets were awarded to freshman team members Barker; Colter Camphouse, Evanston, WY; Tim Love, Burns, WY; and Marcus Johnson, Black Forest, CO.  Thornburg was the outstanding judger for the year while Barker was the top freshman judger.

It was also a time to recognize a few of the department’s supporters. This year Matt Moore and Cargill were recognized for their continued sponsorship of the award banquet meal and the program as a whole.  Dick Bandel was honored for his support of the EWC Show Team.