Oklahoma’s growing interest in agricultural mechanics was on full display this week as students from across the state showcased their technical skills and craftsmanship. Taking home the prestigious title of Overall Grand Champion was Brody Bazor, a junior from the Marietta FFA Chapter, who impressed judges with a sophisticated, custom-built firewood processor.
Streamlining the Family Business
The inspiration for the project came directly from Bazor’s daily life and his family’s commercial firewood operation. With the business selling approximately 200 ricks of firewood annually—including shipping 60 ricks to Amarillo—efficiency was a top priority.
“I wanted something that makes it a little bit easier,” Bazor explained to Farm Director KC Sheperd. “I got a commercial splitter this summer and it made it a lot quicker, and I wanted something that I could just take out a few of the handling steps.”
The machine is designed to handle high-volume production with minimal manual labor. “You put a whole log in there, and you get a finished product of what you burn in your fireplace, in a fire pit or something like that,” Bazor said. “You put a 25-foot log in there, and it chops it down to firewood that you burn at your house.”
The Rise of Ag Mechanics
While livestock shows have traditionally been the cornerstone of agricultural education in Oklahoma, Ag Mechanics is rapidly gaining traction as a vital alternative for students to develop tangible, professional skills.
Bazor, a seven-year veteran of the competition, noted the shift in popularity. “To me, Ag Mechanics is one of those things—livestock is not as popular as it used to be, and Ag Mechanics is going up,” he observed. “In Ag Mechanics, you can make a profit off of what you build. You can build something practical, you can go home and sell it, or you can build something custom for somebody.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
As a junior, Bazor is already looking toward his final year of competition, though he admits the pressure is on after his recent success. Beyond his own projects, he takes pride in the influence the show has on younger students who frequent the shop.
“It is a lot to have a lot of little kids that come up and look at us and look and say they want to build something like that one day in our shop,” Bazor said.
The firewood processor will now head home to be put to work in the family business, serving as a functional tool for years to come. Bazor won a $1500 tool box, and the Jerry Renshaw traveling trophy.
Also Congratulations to Barrett Grissom and Hunter Lehman from the Strother FFA Chapter on their Reserve Grand Champion OYE Ag Mechanics project with a hydraulic cattle chute! These boys placed 1st in class, 1st in Ag Equipment Division, then on to be Reserve overall, winning a custom toolbox, ice chest, Dewalt tools, banners, trophy, and $1000.
Bronze went to Woodland FFA Chapters, Coy, Landee, Kham, Dallie, with their Living Quarters horse Trailer.
To see more from the Ag Mechanics Contest at OYE, you can check out our Flickr’ Album here.
