Two Thomas County Central High School Future Farmers of America participants have proven their skills in competition categories.
Sophomore Kolby Phillips, 16, won first place in the state competition of the Agricultural Tractor & Machinery Operations & Maintenance Career Development Event. Gage Odom, 16, junior, won first place in the Area Five EMC Wiring competition and advanced to state.
Phillips, who also won region earlier this year, attended the state competition held Dec. 5 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
“Right from the start I could tell Kolby had a lot of potential,” TCCHS agriculture teacher Donald Dalton said. “He’s been around tractors all his life. I’m proud of Kolby for not only his driving skills but for his knowledge of tractor theory and safety.”
The competition included a driving course and a written test. His driving test consisted of backing up, hooking up to a piece of equipment, pulling it, maneuvering through a section of cones without hitting any, backing into the barn, unhooking the equipment, and driving out, Phillips explained.
The written test was broken down into 20 questions over diesel engines and 10 problem solving questions in which he solved using owner manuals for various tractor parts.
Phillips grew up on a farm in Climax and started driving tractors at age 9. His first job was to mow cotton stalks.
“I just wanted to represent where I come from and show who I am,” Phillips said. “When I get on a tractor it feels like it is in my blood. I feel comfortable, in my zone. I love it.”
His score and award information have yet to be released.
“I feel pride,” Phillips said of his win. “I’m glad I represented Georgia and showed that a small town can produce something good.”
Odom’s competition, also held at ABAC, was on Dec. 8.
“I thought it was really exciting,” he said. “I never thought I would have done as good as I did, it gave me a little shock.”
The competition consisted of an electrical wiring assignment, a speech demonstration, and a problem solving test.
“To me, the problem solving was the toughest part because there is a lot of EMC history and a lot of bookwork,” Odom said.
Odom has friends who competed last year and he wanted to give this event a try because he thought it would be “fun to do,” and a good way to gain experience and win scholarship money.
“I think it is a really fun competition,” he said. “I love doing it. It’s fun being able to meet new people, going off from school and seeing how other people learn the same topic differently.”
TCCHS Ag Electrification teacher Jerry Stone is not surprised by Odom’s success.
“He has excelled to the point where he can help me teach others how the wiring process works,” Stone said. “He knew what he was doing going into the Area 5 contest. He just needs to work hard on the demonstration he has to do at the state contest so he can win the state championship.”
The state competition in Odom’s category will be held in Covington this January. Odom says he will be reviewing and practicing in preparation for the competition.
“I definitely want to go to win, but I think it is going to take a little more practice to get there,” he said.