a group photo in front of a blue curtain backdrop and green turf floor of the OSU livestock judging team displaying their championship banners, trophies and plaques from the North American International Livestock Exposition — OSU has earned the national title six of the past seven years. (Photo courtesy of the OSU Livestock Judging Team)

OSU livestock judging team dominates season with 23rd national championship

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Media Contact: Gail Ellis | Editorial Communications Coordinator | 405-744-9152 | gail.ellis@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging team continues to break records by winning its 23rd national championship.

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 in Louisville, Kentucky.

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 OSU livestock judging national championship is an example of competing with integrity and excellence that the university's land-grant mission strives for as noted in the We Are Land-Grant strategy.

The 2023 OSU livestock judging team includes 15 seniors:

Shawn Agar, Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Baxter Blair, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Caden Church, Sentinel, Oklahoma
Luke Daniels, Dalhart, Texas
Ty Drach, Fairbury, Illinois
Caleb Edens, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Kasey Johnson, Maysville, Kentucky
Alexis Lake, Laramie, Wyoming
Pace Mittelstaedt, Amber, Oklahoma
Kloie Nation, Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Kade Pendley, Cyril, Oklahoma
Easton Ray, Ada, Oklahoma
Eric Schafer, Owaneco, Illinois
Riley Scott, Central High, Oklahoma
Jentry Squires, Kingfisher, Oklahoma

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.