L-r: Alex Sidener, Anthony Joiner, Wes Bland
Members of the Lincoln Land Community College Ag Club and Livestock Judging Team earned top honors at recent national competitions.
The Ag Club’s Soils Specialist Team was named 2023 National Professional Agricultural Student (PAS) Champions at the National PAS Conference in Des Moines, Iowa. The Soils Team includes Anthony Joiner of Carlinville, Wes Bland of Eldred and Alex Sidener of Rochester, who also placed second, fourth and fifth individually. They are the fifth LLCC team to win the soils event since its creation in 2004.
L-r: Wyatt Buckles, Anthony Joiner, Caedyn Finneran, Alex Sidener, Elizabeth Lee, Charlie Gum, Cole Repscher, Wes Bland, Logan Kearns
The Crops Team of Cole Repscher of Taylorville, Wyatt Buckles of Mechanicsburg and Charlie Gum of Tallula placed sixth. The Swine Team of Elizabeth Lee of Springfield, Caedyn Finneran of Chatham and Logan Kearns of Springfield placed eighth. The College Bowl Team of Logan Kearns, Wyatt Buckles, Alex Sidener, Wes Bland and Anthony Joiner placed fifth. Two LLCC students competed in the Employment Interview event. Elizabeth Lee placed fifth in Specialty Crop Production, and Cole Repscher placed fourth in Agronomic Production.
The students earned the right to compete at the national event by placing in the top three at Illinois PAS contests held earlier this year. This is the 24th year that LLCC students have participated in this national competition, made possible this year by grants from Growmark and the Kreher Farm Perpetual Charitable Trust. LLCC will serve as the host site for the 2024 National PAS Conference. Ag Club advisor is Bill Harmon, professor of agronomy.
The LLCC Livestock Judging Team recently wrapped up its season at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The team placed 11th overall with several other team and individual placings. The team also finished ninth overall at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo, with a first-place win in sheep judging. Eight members of the team are currently being recruited to join judging teams at senior universities including Colorado State, Purdue, Iowa State and Texas A&M. The team includes Kylie Schakel, Carson Hoth, Cole Ellerbrock, Bailey Wadlow, Shaylee Maddox, Tommy Slack, Adam Bensman and Morgan Black, all of Springfield, and Tommy Tarr of Dawson. The team is coached by Craig Beckmier, professor of agriculture.