The culmination of months of practices and hours on the road evaluating cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and giving oral reasons was reached with National Champion honors going to the Kansas State University Livestock Judging Team at the 2024 North American International Livestock Exposition Judging Contest in Louisville, Ky. The five-member team scored a combined 4,770, inching out the second-place team, Oklahoma State University (OSU), by a mere 7 points. OSU was the three-time defending national champion team entering this year’s contest.
“A win like this doesn’t happen without everyone, so each student on the team pushing and encouraging each other led to the result,” says Payton Dahmer in a K-State release.
Dahmer is in his first year coaching the K-State team, along with graduate students Brody Nemecek and Jentry Squires.
“In particular, the team’s consistency at the national contest was remarkable,” Dahmer adds. “Having all five contestants in the top 15 overall is ultimately what helped them in a tight race.”
Jacob Klaudt, Beulah, N.D., placed as the winning high individual overall, with his teammates Cole Murphy, Houstonia, Mo., placing sixth; Logan Buhrman, Wisner, Neb., placing seventh; Kyla Mennen, Logansport, Ind., placing eighth; and Ty Knodle Fillmore, Ill., placing 14th.
“The team win means the most to me considering the group of people I got to enjoy it with,” Klaudt says. “All of us are transfer students who were on different teams a year ago. Those teams were competitive, but not to this degree. Ultimately, winning at this magnitude and level consistently and at the American Royal (earlier this fall) is incredibly special for us.”
This win makes 16 national championships for the K-State’s livestock judging program. As a team, K-State placed first in swine, sheep and goats, and reasons and was second in cattle.
In addition three individuals earned Livestock Academic All-American awards including Quinna Molden, Middletown, Va.; Kylie Schakel, Atlanta, Ind.; and Bailey Lavender, Branford, Fla. These awards honor students who excel in academic performance, university and industry activities, and community service.
Winning the iconic bronze bull at Louisville wraps up an historic year with K-State teams winning national honors in Meat Animal Evaluation in April and Meat Judging in early November.
Dr. Mike Day, K-State ASI department head congratulated the team on their national championship.
“This championship caps off a tremendous year for our students who participate in livestock and meat judging,” he says.
Starting in April, the K-State team, which includes students that participate in livestock and/or meat judging, were champions of the all-encompassing and capstone Meat Animal Evaluation Contest. Earlier this month, the K-State Meat Judging Team was crowned as national champion.
“The excellence displayed by the livestock team this week rounds out this trifecta,” Day says. “The ongoing commitment of the ASI department to applied learning opportunities for our students is emphasized by our recent successes in the judging area.”
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