Nine different judging teams contributed to the reserve championship
MANHATTAN, KAN – The combined placing of nine agricultural competition teams at the 2018 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Judging Conference has earned Kansas State University reserve champion in the Sweepstakes Award for the four-year division. This was the first time that K-State has entered enough contests to qualify for the sweepstakes challenge.
The conference was hosted by Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska, April 19-21. A total of 27 four-year and 16 two-year schools competed with 767 individual contestant entries in 13 different contest areas. K-State hosted the NACTA Judging Conference last April.
K-State teams placed first in Equine Judging and Precision Agriculture, second in Crops, Soils, Knowledge Bowl, Dairy Judging, Agriculture Sales/Communications, and Computer Applications, and third in Livestock Management. Several students competed on more than one team. Iowa State University was the sweepstakes champion by a slim margin.
Top three overall individual awards were earned by Emily Hudson, Troy, Missouri, first place, Ashley Hoffman, Basehor, second, and Christian Calliham, Colby, third in Equine Judging, Clint Koupa, Lincolnville, first in Precision Agriculture, Nicole Sudbeck, Seneca, second in Crops, and Abby Friesen, Colby, third in Computer Applications.
In addition to the 1-2-3 sweep of the individual awards by Hudson, Hoffman and Calliham, the Equine Judging team took first place in all three contest divisions: halter, performance and oral reasons. The fourth team member was Caitlin Dreher, Iola.
Joining Clint Kroupa on the Precision Agriculture team were Chris Weber, Hoxie, Will Moreland, Medford, Oklahoma, and Keren Duerksen, Newton. The team placed first in the exam and analysis sections, and second in component identification.
Crops team members in addition to Nicole Sudbeck were Chris Weber, Keren Duerksen, and Sarah Zerger, Cheney. Alternates were Nate Dick, Inman, Kaylin Fink, Chapman, Trent Frye, Belleville, Tyler Marr, Formosa, and Katie Fross, Hays. The team placed first in the lab practical component and second in identification, agronomic exam and math practical.
Members of the Soils team were Keren Duerksen, who led the team with seventh place overall, Chris Weber, Sarah Zerger, and Katie Fross. Alternates were Abigail Kortokrax, Azle, Texas, Jagger Borth, Meade, and Paul Glover, St. George.
Members of the Dairy Judging team were Lance Coe, Soldier, Ryann Allison, Fort Scott, Jessica Hanson, Ulysses, and Molly Roach, Rantoul. The team placed first in oral reasons and second in placings.
The Knowledge Bowl team consisted of Nicole Sudbeck, Sarah Zerger, Will Moreland and Jenna Chance, Lebanon, Indiana. Chris Weber was the alternate.
The Agriculture Sales/Communications team included Leah Giess, Pierz, Minnesota, Chelsie Calliham, Colby, Mary Marsh, Arbuckle, California, and Tarra Rotstein, Ocala, Florida. The team placed second in both the exam and the written media plan components.
Joining Abby Friesen on the Computer Applications team were Nicole Sudbeck, Will Moreland and Jenna Chance. The team placed second in both the general knowledge and application sections.
The Livestock Management team was led by Jenna Chance who placed first in the exam component. Other team members were Will Patterson, Holton, Olivia Harrison, Saybrook, Illinois, and Morgan Scilacci, Baker City, Oregon. The team placed first in knowledge exam and second in problem solving.
Kevin Donnelly served as coach for the Crops, Knowledge Bowl, Precision Ag, and Computer Applications teams. Mickey Ransom and Erin Bush coached the Soils team. The Equine Judging team was coached by James Lattimer and Rachel Sorensen. Jarrod Blackburn was the Dairy team coach and Audrey King coached the Ag Sales/Communications team.
