The North American International Livestock Judging Exposition (NAILE) is the largest all-breed, purebred livestock show in the country. Every year, livestock exhibitors from around the globe come together in Louisville, Kentucky to compete on the green shavings for purple banners.
The 119th National Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest was run in conjunction with NAILE on Monday, November 18, 2024, and three Southern Plains colleges claimed big titles from the prestigious event.
The Kansas State University team, composed of top placing members Jacob Klaudt, Cole Murphy, Logan Buhrman, Kyla Mennen, and Ty Knodle, took the National Championship. While each earned individual honors, the team placed first in Swine, Sheep and Goats, and Reasons and second in Cattle judging. Other team members include Benjamin Archer, Alex Scovill, Zane Redifer, Emerson Tarr, Ethan Hyers, Blake Bruns, Logan Topp, Olivia Gerloff, and Hailey Gillespie.
The Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging Team earned the Reserve National title. The top-placing individual team members were Anna Hannon, Kale Campbell, Ashlyn O.Brien, and Jed Sidwell. Additional team members were Clay Brillhart, Kale Campbell, Hailey Coggins, Emma Eldridge Emma Farmer, Parker Fleming, Anna Hannon, Ryan Hegland, Delaney Hemann, Doug Hewitt, Mckenzie Layton, Shaylee Maddox, Ashlyn O’Brien, Jed Sidwell, and Braylon Spears.
After earning the inaugural National Junior College Livestock Judging title in 1974, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Oklahoma, earned a Junior College National Title after their second with high-scoring individual members Tyeson Gravenhof, Avery Kimble, Jayce Smith, and Dustee Hollenback. Other team members are Brighton Lane, Cooper Frazier, and Chloe Mabry.
The collegiate Livestock Judging Contest has been running every year since 1900. Throughout its history, the contest has provided valuable training and experience for students in the livestock industry. Many contestants who participated in the contest went on to become distinguished leaders in the livestock industry as well as leaders in agriculture, education, business, and national and international policymaking.
This marks the 25th year that All-American Livestock Judging Awards have been presented. The All-American program was initiated by the Livestock Judging Team Coaches’ Association and American Society of Animal Science in 2000 to recognize students who have made a commitment to livestock judging but have additionally excelled in academic performance, university and industry activities, and community service.
Two OSU students, Emma Farmer and Anna Hannon, earned Academic All-American titles.
Farmer is an OSU transfer student Achievement Scholar, and Flemming family and Klemme family Memorial Scholar. She serves on the student council for the Ferguson College of Agriculture and Vice President of Collegiate Farm Bureau. She is also a member of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, Block and Bridle and Collegiate Cattlewomen’s. At Connor’s College, she was a member of Aggie Club, Ag Ambassadors and the Presidential Leadership Class. Emma held an internship with Oklahoma 4-H Foundation and is currently a Legal Assistant at Stephens Swafford Law Firm in Stillwater. She also participated in the Oklahoma House of Representatives Page Program and graduated from Oklahoma Legislative Fellowship Program. She grew up on a diversified farming operation in Southwest Oklahoma. She is a member of the highly successful OSU livestock judging team and Reserve National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation team. She was also on a nationally competitive team at Connors College. Emma will graduate in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and minor in law and legal studies. Her goal is to pursue a law degree from the University of Oklahoma to ultimately become an attorney with a legal practice in Oklahoma that represents agricultural clients and she hopes to serve as a voice for agricultural policy at the state capital.
Hannon grew up on a family-owned show pig and commercial cattle operation in Rensselaer, IN. She attended Northern Oklahoma college where she was Public Relations officer for Phi Theta Kappa, an Agriculture Leadership Ambassador and a Public Relations Officer for Phi Theta Kappa. She was a member of the highly successful NOC livestock judging team which was named Junior College Team of the year after winning the State Fair of Texas, American Royal, North American International, National Western and Houston contests and Anna placed in the top 10 overall individuals at the American Royal, Cattleman’s Congress, National Western, San Antonio and Houston well as being named a JUCO All American. She transferred to Oklahoma State University where she is Secretary of Rho Phi Lambda fraternity, a student worker with the Oklahoma State Swine Research and Education Center and a Cowboy Commitment Scholar. She has been a member of the winning OSU teams at Cattlemen’s Congress, National Western and Dixie National and Reserve team at Denver. She was a member of the Reserve National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation team at OSU as well. She was a member of the state winning 4-H and FFA teams in Indiana which also won both the American Royal and the National FFA Contests. Consequently, she had the opportunity to represent the United States in the international judging competition hosted by Royal Highlands Show in Ireland. She was a State FFA Degree recipient as well. Anna is pursuing a degree in Recreational Therapy and following graduation, hopes to pursue a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy to ultimately help others.
Three K-State students won Academic All-American awards, and they were Quinna Molden, Kylie Schakel, and Bailey Lavender.
Molden serves as an Animal Science and Industry mentor for incoming Freshmen, is an Agricultural Council representative and member of the K-State Women’s Lacrosse Team. Quinna also served as President of the Bulter Community College Ag Ambassadors. She has been a student researcher with K-State Equine Center, a summer research intern with Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and a summer intern with Udell Cattle Company in Iowa. She has been recognized as a Virgina Farm Bureau, Virginia Cattlemen’s Association as well as a K-State Presidential and Foundation Scholar. Molden was a member of the Virginia 4-H All Star Judging Team which were named Reserve National Champions at National 4-H contest and were awarded 14-day tour of Scotland and Ireland to compete at Royal Highland Contest. In addition to K-State livestock judging team, she was a member of the National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation team. Upon completion of an undergraduate Animal Science and Industry degree, she plans to pursue a M.S. and Ph.D. in beef cattle reproductive physiology and eventually becoming a professor with teaching and research responsibilities.
Schakel grew up in Indiana in a fourth-generation sheep farming family. At K-State, she is a College of Agriculture Ambassador recruiting for the Agricultural Leadership Program, serves as Vice President of Development for Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, Copy Editor for the K-State Purple Yearbook, and social media specialist for both the College of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension. She was a communications intern with American Farm Bureau in Washington, D.C., communications and legislative intern with Illinois FFA Association and a communications intern with Indiana State Department of Agriculture. Schakel served as President of the National Junior Dorset Association and was member of the National Tunis Sheep, American Hampshire Sheep, American Shropshire, American Southdown and Natural Colored Wool Growers Associations. In addition, she served as secretary for Indiana FFA Association. She has been a successful member of the K-State Livestock Judging Team and National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation team as well judged for Lincoln Land College. Schakel will graduate in May 2025 with a degree in Agricultural Communications and Journalism and has a career goal of media relations for the agricultural industry to impact policy initiatives through an organization like American Farm Bureau Federation.
Lavender is President of KSU Educational Marketing Club, a Student Fellow with KSU Center for Risk Management Education and Research and Student Library Assistant with KSU Veterinary Medical Library. She has pursued undergraduate research with the Department of Agricultural Economics to identify a regression model examining global differences in agricultural policy which impact trade agreements. Lavende also participated in internships with Bunge Grain Merchandising and Commodities and a livestock show internship with the North American in Louisville. She was an agricultural ambassador at the Florida State Fair advocating for youth agricultural programs. Lavender judged for Connors College in Junior College and has been a member of the successful KSU livestock judging team which won the American Royal and the meat animal evaluation teams which was named National Champion, and she was 4th high individual overall in the contest. Following graduation in May 2025 with a degree in Agricultural Economics, she plans attend graduate school for a Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Economics with the goal of a teaching and conducting research at a land grant university focusing her research on risk mitigation practices for farmers and ranchers.
