On Saturday, Jan. 18, Western Equipment hosted nearly 100 students from high schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico in its Amarillo location for the inaugural Ag Tech Open Invitational.
The contest was open to all area high school juniors and seniors and tested students’ skills in today’s high-tech, fast-paced field of agricultural mechanization. With so much uncertainty surrounding many jobs, being a technician in the agriculture industry is as certain of a career path that you can choose.
The goal of this contest was both to celebrate the skills needed to perform such a job, as well as expose students to the opportunities available within the agricultural mechanization field, specifically with Western Equipment. Students applied mechanical knowledge, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills and interacted with industry professionals.
Students were tested in four areas during the event: General Mechanical Knowledge Written Exam, Parts ID, Tools ID and Electrical. Western Equipment and John Deere awarded $60,000 in scholarships and $25,000 in prizes to top placing individuals. The results and prizes awarded are listed below:
Top Ten Overall Winners
1. Bryce Smith, Granite High School - Granite, Okla., $20,000 scholarship to a John Deere Ag TECH school + 72” John Deere Tool Chest & Tool Assortment
2. Sydney Gragg, Hinton High School – Hinton, Okla., $15,000 scholarship to a John Deere Ag TECH school + 46” John Deere Tool Chest & DeWalt Impact Wrench
3. Chase Teeter, Dumas High School – Dumas, $10,0000 scholarship to a John Deere Ag TECH school + 36” John Deere Triangle Box & Tool Assortment
4. Preston Williamson, Dumas High School – Dumas, $7,500 scholarship to a John Deere Ag TECH school + 30” John Deere Triangle Box & Tool Assortment & DeWalt Grinder
5. Truman Hough, Farwell High School – Farwell, $7,500 scholarship to a John Deere Ag TECH school + 23” John Deere Triangle Box & Tool Assortment & DeWalt Drill & Impact Wrench
6. Taylor Williams, Pampa High School – Pampa, 36” John Deere Triangle Box w/ John Deere Battery Charger & DeWalt Grinder
7. Luke Wilson, Weatherford High School – Weatherford, Okla., 30” John Deere Triangle Box w/ Ratchet Wrenches & DeWalt Impact Wrench
8. Carson Miller, Silverton High School – Floydada, 30” John Deere Triangle Box w/ John Deere Battery Charger
9. Craig Scheuler, Abernathy High School – Abernathy, 30” John Deere Triangle Box w/ Ratchet Wrenches
10. Zackary Paetzold, Vega High School – Vega, 30” John Deere Triangle Box
Top Five Winners (Written Exam)
1. Camden Williamson, Dumas High School – Dumas, DeWalt Impact Wrench & Heavy Duty Sockets
2. Preston Williamson, Dumas High School – Dumas, John Deere Wrench & Sockets
3. Sydney Gragg, Hinton High School – Hinton, Okla., DeWalt Hammer Drill Kit
4. Lucas Watts, Piedmont High School – Piedmont, Okla., 8” Vise
5. Truman Hough, Farwell High School – Farwell, DeWalt Bluetooth Radio
Top Five Winners (Parts ID)
1. Matthew Blanco, Pampa High School – Pampa, DeWalt Impact Wrench & Heavy Duty Sockets
2. Sydney Gragg, Hinton High School – Hinton, Okla., John Deere Wrench & Sockets
3. Luke Wilson, Weatherford High School – Weatherford, Okla., DeWalt Hammer Drill Kit
4. Dustin Frazier, Timberlake High School – Helena, Okla., 8” Vise
5. Truman Hough, Farwell High School – Farwell, DeWalt Bluetooth Radio
Top Five Winners (Tools ID)
1. Anthony Padilla, Friona High School – Friona, DeWalt Impact Wrench & Heavy Duty Sockets
2. Alex Bussard, Follett High School – Follett, John Deere Wrench & Sockets
3. Chase Teeter, Dumas High School – Dumas, DeWalt Hammer Drill Kit
4. Truman Hough, Farwell High School – Farwell, 8” Vise
5. Carson Miller, Silverton High School – Floydada, DeWalt Bluetooth Radio
Top Five Winners (Electrical)
1. Jack Campbell, Spearman High School – Spearman, DeWalt Impact Wrench & Heavy Duty Sockets
2. Carson Miller, Silverton High School – Floydada, John Deere Wrench & Sockets
3. Colton Martin, Valley High School – Turkey, DeWalt Hammer Drill Kit
4. Sydney Gragg, Hinton High School – Hinton, Okla., 8” Vise
5. Grant Fairweather, DeWalt Bluetooth Radio
