Dolores Middle School FFA President Lexi Simmons Wins Junior AgVocate Sheep Title

Lexi Simmons, president of the Dolores Middle School FFA chapter and a long-time 4-H participant, placed first in the junior division of the AgVocate Contest for the sheep category at the National Western Stock Show in Denver on Jan. 15. Simmons’ presentation covered practical livestock care topics including rumen health, bedding and environment, vaccinations, shearing and hoof care, earning top marks against peers from across the region.

Simmons’ win follows a strong 2025 season in which she was named overall grand champion at the Montezuma County Fair, underscoring the continuity of hands-on agricultural education in Dolores County. Her success highlights the role local schools, FFA and 4-H play in preparing students with technical livestock skills, public communication abilities and leadership for rural economies.

Beyond trophies, the content of Simmons’ AgVocate presentation carries public health and community implications. Emphasis on proper bedding, vaccinations and hoof care aligns with basic one-health principles that link animal welfare, food safety and human health. Better husbandry practices can reduce the risk of zoonotic infections, limit the need for therapeutic antibiotics, and support safer, more sustainable local food systems. For Dolores County producers and families who rely on small ruminants, those practices matter for herd productivity and for lowering community health risks.

Simmons’ dual role as a student leader and longtime 4-H participant also points to broader questions of access and equity in rural agricultural education. Programs like FFA and 4-H offer pathways to skills, scholarships and careers, but they depend on school resources, volunteer networks and community funding. Sustaining and expanding those opportunities helps ensure that more Dolores County youth can gain the technical training and leadership experience Simmons demonstrated in Denver.

Local impacts will be practical and symbolic. Young producers and 4-H members can adopt techniques Simmons highlighted, improved bedding protocols, targeted vaccination schedules, routine hoof and fleece care, to protect animal health and household livelihoods. Community events, fairs and school outreach provide venues for spreading that knowledge citywide.

Simmons’ achievement is a reminder that talent and public-health minded practice can come from small classrooms and county fairs. Her win raises the profile of Dolores County agriculture, and it points to the value of continued investment in school-based ag programs that bolster animal welfare, local economies and community health as the next round of fairs and outreach activities approaches.