OSU livestock judging team wins 23rd national championship

By Gail Ellis | OSU AgComm

STILLWATER – Ponca City native Caleb Edens is one of 15 seniors on the Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging team that continues to break records by winning its 23rd national championship Louisville, Ky.

OSU was named high team overall at the 2023 North American International Livestock Exposition on Nov. 14. 

The team posted an overall reasons score of 1889 points, the all-time highest score ever recorded at the North American International Livestock Judging Competition.

Individual Overall Results

• Caden Church – 3rd

• Eric Schafer – 5th

• Jentry Squires – 6th

• Ty Drach – 8th

• Pace Mittelstaedt – 11th

Academic All-Americans

• Jentry Squires

• Alexis Lake

The OSU livestock judging program won first place at 10 contests this season, including the Cattlemen’s Congress, the National Western Stock Show, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the American Royal. OSU has earned the collegiate livestock judging national title six of the past seven years.

“This will go down as one of the greatest livestock judging teams ever,” said OSU livestock judging coach Parker Henley, who also serves as assistant professor of animal science and an OSU Extension specialist in beef seedstock management. “We thank the breeders, alumni and each individual who supported us and helped continue our tradition of excellence.”

The 2023 OSU livestock judging team includes 15 seniors: Shawn Agar, Santa Rosa, N.M.; Baxter Blair, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; Caden Church, Sentinel; Luke Daniels, Dalhart, Texas; Ty Drach, Fairbury, Ill; Caleb Edens, Ponca City; Kasey Johnson, Maysville, Ky; Alexis Lake, Laramie, Wyo; Pace Mittelstaedt, Amber;  Kloie Nation, Sapulpa; Kade Pendley, Cyril; Easton Ray, Ada; Eric Schafer, Owaneco, Ill; Riley Scott, Central High, and Jentry Squires, Kingfisher.

OSU’s new team of livestock judging competitors will participate in its first contest of the 2024 season at the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City in January.