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SDSU Livestock Judging Team finishes a strong spring season

SDSU Livestock Judging Team Photo 2: The SDSU Livestock Judging Team recently finished their judging season with a 6th place finish at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Pictured from left, back row: SDSU Livestock Team Coach Grady Ruble, Colin Geppert, Kyler Johnson, Dalton Vroman, Cade Opheim, Andrew Berg, Halley Becking, SDSU Livestock Team Assistant Coach Wyatt Smith, Ex Officio Coach Joshua Cribbs. Front row: Riley Ruble, Austin Rohrs, Maria Weber, Carlie Jackson, Sterling Kappes, Nolan Hohenstein. Photo courtesy SDSU Extension

BROOKINGS, S.D. – The 2017 South Dakota State University Livestock Judging Team recently completed a successful Spring Judging season with a sixth-place finish at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This season the team also competed at the Iowa Beef Expo and San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.

“I’m very pleased with the performance of our SDSU Livestock Judging Team this spring semester,” says Dr. Joseph Cassady, SDSU Animal Science Department Head. “I greatly appreciate the job coach Grady Ruble has done with our students. We finished the season on a high note with the team’s results at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I’m looking forward to seeing the team return this fall.”

The team is coached by Grady Ruble and Assistant Coach Wyatt Smith. Team members include Cade Opheim, Mound City, S.D.; Colin Geppert, Kimball, S.D.; Halley Becking, Florence, S.D.; Andrew Berg, Pipestone, Minn.; Kyler Johnson, Baltic, S.D.; Dalton Vroman, Marshall, Minn.; Riley Ruble, Albert Lea, Minn.; Nolan Hohenstein, Lakefield, Minn; Sterling Kappes, Aberdeen, S.D.; Maria Weber, Lake Benton, Minn.; Austin Rohrs, Granville, Iowa,; and Carlie Jackson, Sanborn, Minn.



The team finished third overall at the Iowa Beef Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, on February 12. They also received first in overall placings and third in team reasons.

“I’m very pleased with the performance of our SDSU Livestock Judging Team this spring semester. I greatly appreciate the job coach Grady Ruble has done with our students. We finished the season on a high note with the team’s results at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I’m looking forward to seeing the team return this fall.” Dr. Joseph Cassady, SDSU Animal Science Department head

Individually, Dalton Vroman was ranked as the high individual in placings. Riley Ruble was fourth in placings and tenth overall. Austin Rohrs received ninth in placings and fifth overall. Maria Weber placed ninth in reasons.



The team competed at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo on February 25. They finished tenth overall at the contest.

In individual results, Colin Geppert placed third in cattle at the San Antonio Stock Show contest. Halley Becking received fourth in cattle. Austin Rohrs was seventh in goats and fourth in sheep. Andrew Berg placed seventh in swine.

On March 20, the team finished the season at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with sixth place overall. They also received fifth in the cattle division and fifth in reasons.

In individual awards, Carlie Jackson placed ninth overall, ninth in placings, ninth in swine, and ninth in reasons. Sterling Kappes finished thirteenth overall. Maria Weber was nineteenth overall. Cade Opheim received second overall in the alternate division. Halley Becking was fifth in the alternate division. Kyler Johnson placed eleventh in the alternate division. Riley Ruble finished seventh in cattle.

The team will resume competing during the fall 2017 semester.

For more information about the South Dakota State University Livestock Judging Team, please contact Dr. Joseph Cassady, SDSU Animal Science Department Head at Joseph.Cassady@sdstate.edu, or call (605) 688-5165.

–SDSU Extension