59th Annual Event is Among Nation's Largest Judging Contests
Nearly 1,200 junior high and high school students from all over Ohio honed their skills in agronomy and judging swine, sheep, equine and beef and dairy cattle Wednesday (March 1) at the Wilmington College Aggies’ 59th annual Livestock Judging Contest.
(PICTURED) Students judge goats at the Aggies' Livestock Judging Contest. (Photo by Kyle Bell)
The student-run event not only gives Future Farmers of America and 4-H Club members an opportunity to develop judging techniques, but the competition also is a hands-on learning opportunity for the College’s agriculture students.
Senior Meghan Bruns directed the Aggies’ efforts in putting on a high profile event whose logistical demands require securing animals, organizing the venue for concurrent judging and promoting the activity at scores of schools.
“The purpose and goal for this contest is to put students in the same scenarios that agricultural producers face when growing their operations,” Bruns said. “Allowing students to judge qualities and characteristics of these animals helps to build their background and knowledge in the agriculture industry.”
Bruns added that the competition is a Wilmington College service activity designed to “give back” to organizations, like FFA and 4-H, that helped them grow as individuals before entering higher education.
“Being able to give back to those organizations is something we pride ourselves on as WC Aggies,” she said. “This contest truly embodies hands-on-learning at Wilmington College.”
Overall team winners were: Equine — Butler Tech Natural Science Center; Agronomy — North Union High School; General Livestock — Greenfield McClain High School; and Dairy — Mechanicsburg High School
Billed as the largest competition of its kind east of the Mississippi, WC’s Livestock Judging Contest is one of the most popular such attractions in the country and typically is among the first competitions of the year. Typically, more than 1,000 students participate annually.
Most of WC’s more than 250 agriculture majors were involved in some facet of the event.
Wilmington College is one of only two institutions in Ohio to offer a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree. It features concentrations in agricultural business, agronomy, animal science, equine business management, agriculture communications and agricultural education. The College also offers minors in equine studies and sustainability.
