By Andi Anderson
Students from the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture achieved remarkable success at the 2026 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Judging Conference. The event took place from April 22 to 25, 2026, at Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois.
The students participated in a wide range of competitions, including Agricultural Education, Portfolio, Livestock Judging, Dairy Cattle Judging, Knowledge Bowl, and Crops events. Their strong performance highlighted their knowledge, practical skills, and dedication to agriculture.
The university earned several first-place team awards. These included top positions in Portfolio, Livestock Judging Overall, Cattle, Sheep and Goats, Swine Judging, and Livestock Judging Reasons. This achievement reflects the hard work and preparation of the students as well as the guidance provided by their mentors.
Dusti Ingles, WIU assistant professor of Agriculture, praised the students’ efforts and commitment. "I'm extremely proud of our students for the effort they put into preparing for this competition. As a first-year coach for the Agricultural Education and Portfolio teams, it was a huge success to see these wins. Dr. Mark Hoge, assisted by Coby Frey, continues to coach championship livestock judging teams. Leatherneck Livestock showed up for this contest ready to end an extraordinary season with excellence. I was also excited to see students stretch themselves and compete in new areas like Knowledge Bowl, Crops and Dairy Judging.", She said.
Many students also earned individual honors. Amanda Niemann, a senior from Litchfield, Illinois, secured first place in both Agricultural Education Room 4 and Portfolio. Carter Hoge, a senior from Good Hope, Illinois, won first place in Livestock Judging Overall and Cattle. Other top achievers included Rob Rogers, Ally Loosen, Slone Windish, Marcus Eastridge, and Haley Wells, who placed highly in various categories such as Sheep and Goats, Reasons, and Swine.
In addition to judging competitions, Amanda Niemann presented a research poster titled Impact of Soybean Maturity Group Selection on Yield and Seed Traits in a Soybean Pennycress Rotation. The poster earned tenth place and showcased the research abilities of WIU students.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-poike
Categories: Illinois, Education