Star Farmer

From every state but one (Rhode Island), suntanned youngsters poured into Kansas City last week--some 7,000 of them. After they had filled hotels to the bulging point, they overflowed onto army cots hastily set up in the municipal auditorium. But bunking on cots was no hardship. These kids were accustomed to a rough life. They were the Future Farmers of America, in town for their 20th annual convention.

Well-behaved and businesslike--some already have incomes running into five figures--they had little time for sightseeing or the movies. Many made a beeline for the American Royal Livestock Show, which ran concurrently with the F.F.A. convention. Others stuck to the convention agenda, listened to speeches by Secretary of Agriculture Clint Anderson and British Ambassador Lord Inverchapel, and frolicked at a big barn-warming party, where they shucked corn and sweatily swung their partners in old-fashioned square dances.

All applauded when red-faced Ray Gene Cinnamon, 19, a shy boy with a big grin, from Garber, Okla., was named 1947 Star Farmer of America (prize: $1,000). Ray Gene has been showing prize-winning livestock at the Royal show for the past seven years. In 1944 his entry took the grand champion steer award, which, together with two other prize-winning animals, netted him more than $9,000. That year Ray Gene had to call in an accountant to help on his income tax.

Early Bird. Ray Gene owns 40 acres of land, rents an additional 360, and is in partnership with his uncle in farming an other 400 acres. He also manages his own herd of 28 Angus cattle, with 22 calves.

Last spring, he married Libby Sebranek, a girl he had once crowned queen of the Garber F.F.A. chapter. Besides keeping house in their neat farm cottage, Libby does more than her share of chores. Said Ray Gene: "Never would have got the wheat harvest in this year if Libby hadn't run the combine for me." They get up at 4:30 in the morning and work until n at night. "Sometimes when we're not so busy," says Ray Gene, "We don't get up until 6."

Bashful Side. After he got his prize, Ray Gene was directed to a sleek yellow convertible that was to take him on a triumphal ride around Kansas City's Royal arena. He took one bashful look at blonde Laura Carol Tarrant, queen of the American Royal show, perched above the car's back seat, and tried to slide in beside the driver. Told that he was to ride beside the queen, Ray Gene climbed to his place and was greeted with a congratulatory kiss, planted firmly on his flaming cheek.

When a bystander yelled, "Hey, the guy's married," Queen Laura playfully pretended to wipe off a smudge of lipstick. Then she kissed him again, and a thoroughly confused Star Farmer was taken on a slow circuit of the arena as thousands roared.

The ride over, Ray Gene took quick leave and ducked back to the livestock stalls. There, as he polished the coat of his Hereford steer, he relaxed and talked about past F.F.A. conventions. "I got married last April," he said, "so I have to stay in a hotel with the wife this year. Always before when I came to the Royal I bunked right here with the cattle. It's hard to be away from the cattle."

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