KEARNEY, Neb. – Two livestock evaluation teams from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis competed last week in the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic judging contest at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney.

The two NCTA Aggie teams competed in a field of 14, two-year colleges, each having five members per team.

The NCTA freshmen Red Team placed in eighth place, edging out their sophomore counterparts by one point, said Coach Doug Smith, associate professor and chair of animal science and agriculture education.

Freshmen Seth Racicky of Mason City was ninth overall in the individual rankings with combined points from placings and oral reasons. He was sixth in placings of the livestock classes. Freshman Camden Wilke of Columbus was 24th overall judge among the 82 individuals representing junior colleges.

Sophomore Will Moeller of Grand Island led the Black Team as 12th high individual overall. His teammate, Grant Romshek of Shelby, came in 25th in individual points. 

Freshman team members were Racicky, Wilke, Garrett Lapp of Adamsville, Ohio, Emily Riley of Norton, Kansas, and Maisie Kennicutt of Wallace.

Sophomore team members were Moeller, Romshek, Rachel Miller of Bashor, Kansas, Peyton McCord of Cairo, and Remy Mansour of Petaluma, California. Colbey Luebbe of Seward judged individually.

Among four-year colleges, 47 students competed with eight full teams and two partials.

Dean Fleer of Pierce and Nathan Lashley of Curtis, who are third-year Aggie students, are the team’s assistant coaches serving with Coach Doug Smith.

The next contest for the two NCTA Aggie Livestock Teams will be April 9-14 in Murray, Kentucky as one of 13 category contests at the North American Colleges of Teachers in Agriculture.