FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. — The Emmanuel College Freshmen Livestock Judging Team recently placed third high team at the Dixie National Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest in Jackson, Mississippi on February 12, 2021. The team judged 12 classes of livestock and presented 8 sets of reasons to the event staff. This placing was the highest so far for the team and an indication of great things to happen in the future. The team consisting of Logan Mason, Isabella Payne, Mary Keener, Reagan Britt and Emily Alder demonstrated excellent decision making and placing due to their training by Coach Cole Roper. Logan Mason, from Warner Robins Georgia was the high individual on the team followed closely by Isabella Payne from Toccoa, Georgia
The team traveled during the fall preparing for this event to Louisville, Kentucky, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Frankford, Indiana. Sarah Howard, a lone sophomore represented Emmanuel College at the Dixie Nationals and placed 17th in the contest, her personal best to date.
One of the best ways to prepare students for those ample opportunities in life, is the Emmanuel College Livestock Judging Program. The main components of the competition include judging classes of livestock, such as market or breeding-beef cattle, swine, sheep and/or meat goats, as well as justifying their decisions through oral reasons. Livestock Judging participants not only learn livestock evaluation skills, but also necessary decision-making, quick thinking, as well as learning how to defend their opinion. Livestock judging instills confidence in those people who may be timid and humbles those who are in need.
Emmanuel’s Diversified Agriculture and Agricultural Education Degree programs offer students the opportunity to explore, gain hands on experiences, and develop into agriculture leaders and contributors to the number one industry in the state of Georgia-Agriculture. Sixteen percent of Georgia’s employment base is in Agriculture. These degree programs in the field of Agriculture helps students form partnerships with Agriculture professionals, develop networking opportunities with agricultural policy makers, and secure potential employment opportunities through internships.
The Emmanuel College Livestock Judging team is coached by Cole Roper. If you have any questions about attending Emmanuel College for an agriculture degree or wish to be on the Livestock Judging team, contact Cole Roper at 706-680-3328 or email croper@ec.edu. If you wish to donate funds to help offset travel expenses for the team this would greatly be appreciated as well.
—Cole Roper, Emmanuel College