The DeWitt County Livestock Judging Team made history by competing at the National Livestock Judging Contest held in Nebraska in 2023. It marked the first time since 1995 that a team from DeWitt County qualified for Nationals.
This year’s Judging Team placed second at the state contest in June of 2024, earning a spot to compete at nationals once more in January 2025.
The Judging team, consisting of Jackie Finney, Wyatt Luddeke, Nathan Oakes, and Percy Torrez, earned their spot at the 2023 National Contest by excelling at the Texas 4-H Roundup in College Station, where they qualified through an impressive performance at the State Contest. Their journey began even earlier, as they also had to qualify for State by competing at the District contest, also held in College Station, where they placed first.
“Our team has shown incredible dedication and hard work, investing countless hours in practice and traveling to ob-serve live animals,” said Coach Amanda Luddeke. “Their commitment to excellence is truly inspiring. Given their strong second place finish at nationals last year and their continued momentum in 2024, this team is poised to perform well at the 2025 National Stock Show judging competition in January 2025.”
The DeWitt County Livestock Judging Team has not only qualified for Nationals but has also achieved remarkable success in previous contests. In April, they placed first at the District contest and followed that with a strong second-place finish at the State contest in June, securing them a spot to compete at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, on January 10, 2025.
