Livestock Judging Team wins Griswold Cattle Classic

group of college students standing & kneeling outdoors

The Black Hawk College Livestock Judging Team garnered one more big win before heading home for the holidays.

More than 30 BHC students competed individually and in teams at the Griswold Cattle Classic Collegiate Judging Contest in Stillwater, OK, going up against competitors from eight states and 16 schools.

The BHC team consisting of sophomores Robby Burchett of Jonesville, VA; Ty Drach of Pontiac, IL; Emma Dunn of Tipton, IN; Dillon Sheiss of Larwill, IN; and Kelly Spicer of Woodbine, MD, rose to the top, taking 1st out of 72 teams.

Two other BHC teams also placed in the Top 10.

6th Place team members (all freshmen):

  • Denton Homan of Botkins, OH
  • Conner Knudson of Morristown, IN
  • Hunter Knudson of Morristown, IN
  • Karson Patton of Frankfurt, IN
  • Jazmine Ralston of Resaca, GA

9th Place team members (all sophomores):

  • Jessica Engel of Springville, NY
  • Dawson Firlus of Mauston, WI
  • Mikala Grady of Grandview, TX
  • Allison Loftis of Medina, OH
  • Emma Richardson of Capron, IL

Individually, Sheiss took 2nd overall and Drach came in 4th overall out of more than 250 competitors.

“I am really proud of this whole group and the fall that they have had,” said Dr. Blake Bloomberg, coach and associate professor of animal science.

“The sophomores have cemented themselves in Black Hawk College and junior college history so far,” he said.

View complete team and individual results from the Griswold Cattle Classic.

The Livestock Judging Team will hit the ground running in 2022 with three competitions in January – the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City, OK; the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO; and the Sioux Empire Livestock Show in Sioux Falls, SD.

The team is coached by Dr. Blake Bloomberg and Tim Hubbard.