KINGSVILLE (April 24, 2024) — High schools from across the state displayed their works from the past year all the way up University Boulevard as they took part in the 2024 Agriculture Mechanic Show hosted by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Tuesday, April 23.
This was the event’s 10th year and was one of the largest turnouts as it featured 41 schools from near the Dallas Fort Worth area down to the Rio Grande Valley as well as 114 projects and 390 students.
Texas A&M-Kingsville Associate Professor, Agricultural Education and Mechanics Dr. Steven Chumbley said that with large numbers comes more competition.
“Aside from the number of projects we’ve had, the competitiveness of the projects has increased immensely,” Chumbley said. “That’s a testament to the job the high school Ag teachers are doing working with these kids on projects.”
The projects, which are judged based on criteria such as craftsmanship, difficulty, quality and workmanship, were divided into six divisions: Farm Power & Machinery, Animal Handling Systems, Trailers, Recreation and Wildlife, BBQ Pits & Trailer & Tractor Restoration.
Addison Alaniz, a senior from San Antonio O’Connor representing the Agriculture Science Technology Academy (ASTA) magnet school, showed a Pergola Picnic table which placed first in the Division IV Recreation and Wildlife Class I.
For Alaniz, the show was more than a competition for her and her program.
“Being able to show and put yourself out there and your name for your school is a benefit for us because we want to be able to say we have a purpose,” Alaniz said. “We’re getting to show what we love to do and for other students coming into our ASTA program, it shows them anything is possible. You can go from making picnic tables, barbeque pits to trailers. Anything you desire that you want to put your mind to, you just have to make a plan, show our teachers and they will work with you. At the end of the day, you can make it happen.”
Chumbley said the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources had 48 student workers anchoring the show and lauded them for their efforts in what is a major event for the department.
“This show is a huge recruitment event as several of these students will be in our Ag Science program and a lot of our student volunteers have been shown here in the past who are now TAMUK students,” Chumbley said. “It’s also a retention event. Our students are the leaders of this. It gets our students engaged and gives them something to take ownership of and belong to. It gives them something to strive for to be successful in class and represent on campus.”
Among those student volunteers was senior agriculture science major Loren Tabor, who experienced the Ag Mech show as a student volunteer for the first time and the show was a result of months of effort that involved everything from donation seeking to creating signs for the projects on display.
“It was a lot of work, but we’re all excited to help,” Tabor said. “Teachers and instructors from the department came out and really enjoyed it. As for the competing students, it makes my heart happy to see them all here with how much time they put into their projects. To see all the hard work that the students all put in is very exciting.”
2024 Texas A&M University-Kingsville Agriculture Mechanics Project Show Results
Grand Champion: Tilden, Brush County Boom Sprayer
Reserve Grand Champion: Buffalo, 37’ Float Trailer
Division I
Tilden, Brush County Boom Sprayer
Smithson Valley, Foot Pedal Vise
Division II
Tilden, Deer Feeder Grain Cart
Goliad, Chicken Coop
Division III
Buffalo, 37’ Float Trailer
Athens FFA, 28’ Cattle Trailer
Division IV
ASTA, Pergola Picnic Table
Tilden, Aluminum Fishing Dock
Division V
San Isidro, 14’ BBQ Pit on Trailer
Athens FFA, BBQ Pit Smoker Towable
Tractor Restoration
Grand Champion: Cuero
Reserve Grand Champion: Utopia
Showmanship
Goliad, Chicken Coop
Sealy, 12’ Utility Trailer
