The sizzle of burgers on the grill mixed with friendly competition this week as local FFA students competed in a hands-on culinary challenge tied to Owensboro Burger Week and rooted in agriculture education — with Apollo claiming the top spot.
Owensboro Catholic took second in the friendly cook-off, followed by Trinity and Daviess County.
The event was organized through a collaboration between Daviess County FFA advisor Jason Smith and Daniel Hayden, and it was hosted on a farm owned by Matt Castlen.
Hayden said the idea emerged through conversations centered on expanding community engagement.
“Jason Smith approached me about Burger Week. As we talked, we saw it as a good opportunity to create more community involvement, especially for student organizations,” Hayden said. “Burger Week has been very successful in Owensboro, so it just made sense to take advantage of that momentum and get students more directly involved.”
Hayden, who serves in a leadership role with the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, said he has long supported Burger Week.
“I’ve always been a big fan,” Hayden said. “It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a great opportunity for people to become more curious about where their burgers come from. Many restaurants source beef from local farmers, and that connection is pretty neat.”
Students participating in the competition worked in teams to create their own burger recipes. Hayden explained that organizers provided only the grilling equipment and beef, leaving the creativity to the students.
“Each chapter president was responsible for forming a three-person team, and every team created its own burger,” Hayden said. “We provided the fire and the meat, but everything else was up to them.”
Burgers were evaluated using the same scoring criteria applied during Burger Week, with community leaders serving as judges.
“We used the official Burger Week judging sheet,” Hayden said. “The winning chapter’s president earned a seat at the official Burger Week judging table.”
Beyond the competition itself, the evening also served as an educational opportunity. Representatives from the Kentucky Beef Council and the Kentucky Junior Cattlemen’s Association attended to share information about industry programs and youth involvement.
Hayden said organizers hope the event becomes a recurring tradition.
“We’re hoping to make this an annual competition,” Hayden said. “It’s a fun way to connect students, agriculture, and the broader community.”
