Hoosiers Compete in State Fair Livestock Judging
Published: Friday, August 29, 2025
The Purdue University livestock judging team welcomed 182 participants to the Indiana State Fair market hog judging contest on Aug. 1.
Coaches Hattie McGrady and Clay Kretzmeier organized the event, which gave youth and young adults up to age 21 the opportunity to experience livestock judging firsthand. Age divisions were based on grade levels for the 2024-25 school year, with categories for novice (younger than third grade), junior (third through eighth grade), senior (ninth through 12th grade) and jackpot (high school graduates to age 21).
Participants in the novice division judged one class and answered 10 questions, while all other divisions judged six classes and answered 30 questions.
The contest offered both individual and team competition in the junior, senior and jackpot divisions, with teams consisting of three members. Members of the Purdue livestock judging team also volunteered their time to help run the event, assisting with setup and participant support throughout the contest.
Results, by division include: (in order of placement)
Junior individual—Grady Harrison, Hayden Everhart, Owen Hege, Brody Hege and Tucker Ashwill.
Senior individual—Kolt Kyler, Keagan Shively, Jace Redden, Will Morris and Tessa Ortman.
Jackpot individual— Matthew Strange, Kadence Emenhiser, Brooklyn Moore, Jacobie Geiger and Jacob Ziegler.
The top three teams (junior division) were: Owen Hege, Hayden Everhart and Landry Rodibaugh; Grady Harrison, Brody Hege and TJ Rice; and Allison Liggett, Landon Glunt and Jacob Glunt.
The top three senior team included: Keagan Shively, Caden Hine and Bryson Cooper; Will Morris, Colton Kephart and Mitchell Hogue; and Kolt Kyler, Makayla Spray and Kolby Butcher.
Two jackpot teams competed in first was the team of Matthew Strange, Kadence Emenhiser and Brooklyn Moore. In second were Jacobie Geiger, Holly Howard and Carle Sroufe.
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