Interviews with Ashlyn Robinson, Dalton Obermier, and Blaine French
In an arena buzzing with anticipation and adrenaline, students on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Livestock Judging team are not just evaluating farm animals – they are cultivating a diverse skill set and preparing for a dynamic professional future.
In a livestock judging contest, students work individually to rank cattle, swine, goats, and sheep in 12 classes of four animals. Livestock judging teams evaluate classes based on muscularity, maternal merit, and structural composition.
After submitting class placings, students present eight sets of oral reasons defending their decisions. Contest officials then score these presentations and combine them with participants’ placings scores to determine standings.
Judging students explaining their extracurriculars might get confused looks from people outside of the agriculture industry. However, those who have participated in judging programs have seen overwhelming growth in confidence and speaking ability.
Blaine French is the head livestock judging coach and an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Animal Science. While coaching at the university, he received the 2023 Coach of the Year award.
Also, his team's highest accolades include:
- Champion Team Overall at the AKSARBEN Stock Show Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest
- Reserve Champion Team Overall at the Houston Livestock Show
“Success does not happen overnight, and it is important for students to understand the difficult work that it takes to have success in this judging game,” French said. “I try to create an environment where everyone pushes each other to be better and where the expectation is high when it comes to effort level.”
Displaying Confidence
This dynamic of healthy competition within the team contributes to professional and personal growth.
“Every year, I see students come into the program a bit timid and lacking some confidence,” French said. “The soft skills students gain from livestock judging are second to none. They develop quick yet accurate decision making, and they gain an ability to defend those decisions through oral reasons.”
Ashlyn Robinson is an agricultural economics major and a member of the 2024 UNL Livestock Judging team. She has firsthand experience with confidence growth through judging programs.
“Judging livestock was where I found my opportunity to succeed,” Robinson said.
Robinson has been recognized for her success in the first half of her senior college career, with top-10 finishes in multiple contest categories. This includes a high individual recognition in sheep and goats at the Sioux Empire Livestock Show collegiate livestock judging contest in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Presenting with Professionalism
The confidence and communication skills gained from livestock judging also gives students an advantage when entering any industry. Once students have completed their season on the livestock judging team, the professional skills developed will set them apart.
Dalton Obermier is a doctorate student in the Department of Animal Science who competed on the 2017 UNL Livestock Judging Team.
“When you get to graduate school, and you are asked to give presentations at conferences, the people that come from judging backgrounds separate themselves... The way they can handle the pressure to get their message across makes their project better,” Obermier said. “Being able to get into a room in an uncomfortable situation and share your thoughts in a professional manner is something everyone should do.”
Whether students decide to further their education after their undergraduate degree or enter the workforce, communication skills are an integral part of any occupation. This is a significant part of why French continued his judging career through coaching.
“I know what this activity can do for young people,” French said, “and I wanted to pass my knowledge on to them so that they can be as competitive as possible, not only in livestock judging, but in life as well.”
Key Takeaways:
- Livestock judging helps students to develop confidence and decision-making skills.
- Livestock judging requires students to participate in public-speaking exercises that will contribute to their professional success.
- Blaine French, the UNL Livestock Judging Team head coach, Ashlyn Robinson, a current team member, and Dalton Obermier, a UNL Livestock Judging Team alum, discuss how their connections with the team have impacted their lives personally and professionally.
- For more information visit https://animalscience.unl.edu/unl-livestock-judging-team.
