Front L-R: Colby Taber, Derek Brown, Tyler Stutsman
Middle: Coach Jon DeClerck, Chelsey Branderhorst, Troy Sloan, Harrison Frye, Back: Adam Darrington, Hunter Shoemaker, Kyle Greiman
The 2012 Iowa State Livestock Judging Team has enjoyed tremendous success at the national level and is off to one of the university’s best start in over a decade. The team began its spring run with an outstanding finish at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. The team finished 3rd overall amongst 28 Universities from across the county. This is the highest an ISU team has finished in over 10 years. The team was also Reserve High Team in Reasons. Hunter Shoemaker was awarded High Individual Overall, besting the field of 140 students by 6 points. With the win, the first for an ISU student since Dr. Scott Griener in 1989, Hunter has secured an all expenses paid trip this summer to judge the Canadian Agribition. Additionally, Colby Taber was High Individual in Beef and Reasons and finished 8th Overall, while Troy Sloan was 2nd in Swine. The team continued its winning ways capturing High Team Honors at the Sioux Empire Farm Show and the Iowa Beef Expo Contests in January and February respectively. The ISU team ascended to the top of field of 14 trams and distanced itself from the competition by 60 points at Sioux Falls. The team also won the reasons, beef and swine divisions. On an individual note Tyler Stutsman was 5th Overall, Troy Sloan was 6th Overall, Colby Taber was 7th Overall, and Harrison Frey was 10th Overall. At the Iowa Beef Expo Contest, ISU defeated the field of 17 teams and also won the reasons division. Individually: Adam Darrington was 1st Overall, Troy Sloan was 2nd Overall and 1st in Reasons, Tyler Stutsman 7th Overall, and Colby Taber was 8th Overall.
Pictured is the High Team from Iowa Beef Expo from left to right; Colby Taber, Tyler Stutsman, Hunter Shoemaker, and Troy Sloan.
Next up was the Nebraska Cattleman's Contest in Kearney Nebraska. The ISU Livestock Judging Teams were 3rd and 4th overall and took home High and 2nd High Honors in Reasons amongst the field of 15 teams. Individually ISU boasted 7 Individuals in the top 15 including: Hunter Shoemaker was 3rd Overall, Tyler Stutsman was 4th Overall, Adam Darrington was 6th Overall and High Individual in Reasons, and Chelsey Branderhorst was 7th Overall. The ISU Livestock Judging Team capped off its spring run with a strong 5th place finish at the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo and was awarded High Team in the beef division of the field of 19 teams. In a very close competition ISU was mere points away from a victory and had 2 students achieve top ten status: Troy Sloan 4th Overall and High Individual in Cattle, and Tyler Stutsman 7th Overall. The Team is Coach by Jon DeClerck, over the summer members of the ISU Livestock Judging Team will help host various youth judging contests at the county, state and national levels and will hold their annual Judging Camp in June. The team will resume its judging season this fall begging with the 66th National Barrow Show Contest, held September 10th in Austin Minnesota.