The intent of this exploratory study was to inventory the motivations of the North Carolina FFA Meats Evaluation Career Development Event (CDE) competitors and investigate the relationship motivation has on performance. Participants (n = 93) completed a battery of motivational measures (achievement goals, grit, interest, self-efficacy, task value, and control beliefs) during the CDE that was then connected to their individual score in the contest. Students showed high mastery-approach and performance-approach goal orientations, and rated "competition" as the primary motivator for participation in the CDE. Achievement goals, interest, self-efficacy, and control beliefs were all positively correlated to performance (p < 0.05). Females outperformed males and were more likely to be motivated by "competition." Results indicate the need for future studies to compare different CDEs, and include the predictive power of motivational measures on performance.