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Gustine FFA and Westside 4 H earn top honors at Merced County Spring Fair
may day johnny rocha
Johnny Rocha poses with his Middleweight Champion Lamb at the 2026 Merced County Spring Fair in Los Banos. Rocha earned 1st place in market, Champion Middleweight and 6th place in intermediate showmanship, contributing to a strong overall showing for Westside 4 H exhibitors. - photo by Photo Contributed

LOS BANOS — Gustine High School FFA and Gustine WestSide 4‑H members delivered a standout performance at the 2026 Merced County May Day Spring Fair, bringing home champion titles, top showmanship awards and dozens of class placements across lambs, swine, dairy, beef, goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry.

The fair, held April 29 through May 3 and themed “Roots, Rides, and Ribbons,” marked the culmination of months of work for local exhibitors who spent the year raising animals, practicing showmanship and preparing barns for competition.

Gustine FFA results

Lamb exhibitors earned a long list of placements. Allison Araiza placed 4th in showmanship; Axel Hernandez, 4th; Brook Villnow, 4th; David Farias, 8th; Devin Camara, 2nd; Israel Verdin, 10th; Jason Chavez, 4th; Jeff Camara, 6th; Jesus Romero, 2nd; Julieta Rea, 5th; Kim Gutierrez, 10th; Lluvia Gonzalez, 4th; Luke Avila, 3rd; Olivia Rocha, 4th and 9th in showmanship; Sloan Brazil, 1st; and Ximena Gomez exhibited in showmanship. Baylor Bloom earned 1st place, Grand Champion Lamb and 2nd in showmanship.

Breeding exhibitors included Luke Ventura, who placed 6th and 3rd in Intermediate Showmanship, and Nate Lopes, who placed 4th and earned 1st in Intermediate Showmanship.

Swine market classes featured strong results across AOB, Dark Cross and Light Cross divisions. AOB exhibitors included Azul Ortiz (228 pounds, 2nd place), Alina Camacho (254 pounds, 4th), Delaney Mederios (257 pounds, 6th), Heston Duarte (258 pounds, 2nd), and Natalie Ventura (261 pounds, 3rd). Dark Cross exhibitors included Jax Vaz (249 pounds, 1st place, Champion Dark Cross and Reserve Champion FFA), Nick Ventura (252 pounds, 3rd place, Light Cross Champion), Emilia Galindo (255 pounds, 8th), and Blake Vaz (267 pounds, 3rd). In Light Cross, Luke Ventura earned 1st place at 248 pounds.

FFA also earned 1st place Chapter Group Swine and 1st Place Clean Barn Award for Swine.

Swine showmanship results included: — Jax Vaz, 3rd overall Novice Swine Showman — Luke Ventura, 2nd overall Intermediate Swine Showman and 11th overall Advanced Swine Showman — Advanced Showmanship participants: Heston Duarte, Delaney Mederios, Emilia Galindo, Azul Ortiz, Alina Camacho, Blake Vaz, Natalie Ventura and Nick Ventura

Dairy exhibitors included Josie Nunes, 6th in Advanced Showmanship, and Michelle Nunes, 5th in Advanced Showmanship.

Beef exhibitor Jonah Souza earned Champion Novice FFA Showman and Outstanding Beef Exhibitor.

Rabbit exhibitors also performed well. Meat Pen results included Adamaris Sierra (8th overall) and Estrella Ponce (4th overall). Single Fryer results included Josephina Cortez (7th overall) and Nevah Fuentes (4th overall).

Rabbit showmanship results included Genesis Gonzalez, FFA Novice Champion and 8th in Advanced Showmanship; Adamaris Sierra, 6th in Advanced Showmanship; and Ashley Mendoza, 5th in Advanced Showmanship.

Poultry results included Jayden Araiza, 5th overall broilers, and Justin Lopes, who earned Best of Game Birds, FFA Champion Advanced Showman and Small Animal Master Showman Champion.

Gustine WestSide 4‑H results

WestSide 4‑H members also brought home major honors across multiple species.

Dairy exhibitors included: — Matthew Mendes, 1st in 4‑H Grade Summer Calf — Paige Pires, 4‑H Grade Grand Champion and 4‑H Grade Reserve Grand Champion — Carson Fontes, 2nd in Registered Holstein Junior Yearling and 3rd in 4‑H Showmanship — Carley Fontes, 4th in Registered Holstein Senior Calf.

Swine exhibitors included: — Krystabelle Carlucci, 4th place market, 3rd overall Intermediate Showman, 4th in Swine Commercial Breeding — Brinley Martin, 6th place market, 7th overall Intermediate Showman, 3rd in Swine Commercial Breeding — Landen Duarte, 2nd place market and showmanship participant — Raegan Duarte, 3rd place market and honorable mention Intermediate Showmanship — Sophia Siqueiros, 3rd place market and honorable mention Intermediate Showmanship, — Alvaro Reynoso 4th place market class and honorable mention in showmanship.

Goat exhibitors included: — Audrey Alves, 3rd place market, 4th place Intermediate Showmanship, 8th place Doe — Andon Borba, 1st place market, Grand Champion Middle, Reserve 4‑H Champion Goat, 3rd place Junior Showmanship — Branson Bristow, 3rd place market, 7th place Senior Showmanship — Audrey Etheridge, 1st place market Reserve Lightweight Goat, 4th place Senior Showmanship — Lane Gerhardt, 3rd place market and Junior Showmanship participant — Madison Lopes, 8th place Doe and Junior Showmanship participant — Jacob Madrigal, 7th place market and Intermediate Showmanship participant — Mason Mendes, 4th place market and Intermediate Showmanship participant — Macy Nunes, 3rd place market and 6th place Intermediate Showmanship — Mila Quezada, 2nd place market and 8th place Junior Showmanship — Emily Robinson, 2nd place market and 7th place Junior Showmanship — Olivia Sanchez, 5th place market and 5th place Intermediate Showmanship — Addyson Zalinski, 6th place market and 6th place Junior Showmanship.

Sheep exhibitors included: — Billy Avila, 2nd place market and Junior Showmanship participant — Colton Bloom, 1st place market, Reserve Lightweight and 5th place Senior Showmanship — Taetum Cordeiro, 1st place market, Reserve Middleweight, 4th place Senior Showmanship and Junior Champion Showman — Aubree Gerhardt, 2nd place market and Intermediate Showmanship participant — Emilie Hernandez, 3rd place market and Intermediate Showmanship participant — Jace Lancaster, 4th place market and Intermediate Showmanship participant — Ty Lancaster, 3rd place market and 10th place Senior Showmanship — Madison Lopes, 3rd place market and 3rd place Junior Showmanship — Johnny Rocha, 1st place market, Champion Middleweight and 6th place Intermediate Showmanship — Lucy Smith, 4th place market and Intermediate Showmanship participant.

Cordeiro was also awarded Outstanding First‑Year Showman in the sheep category.

In beef, Deegan Ignacio earned 2nd Overall MMCA Heifer, was named Champion Junior Showman and placed 4th Overall Showman.

Rabbit exhibitors also collected top finishes. Cameron Crow placed 9th in market single fryer, while Noah Sanchez earned 4‑H Champion Meat Pen, Reserve Champion Meat Pen and finished 4th in showmanship.

In poultry, Mason Lopes placed 5th in intermediate chicken showmanship and earned 2nd place in junior chicken showmanship and 5th in advanced chicken showmanship.

WestSide 4‑H members also entered arts and crafts, earning multiple first‑ and second‑place ratings. Lucy Smith received the Outstanding Clothing Exhibit award.

A year of work on display

For both FFA and 4‑H exhibitors, the fair represents months of responsibility, early mornings and hands‑on learning. This year, Gustine’s youth brought home an exceptional list of achievements, giving their community plenty to celebrate.