There’s nothing like a livestock show, but someday you’ll age out of the youth programs you participate in today. However, with sharpened industry knowledge and public speaking skills, you might just be the one picking a champion on the green shavings in Louisville or Houston 20 years from now. Livestock judging, and the skills acquired from evaluating livestock, making decisions and giving oral reasons are skills a person can use the rest of his or her life. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of judging camps for you to learn from the best across the country this summer.
Please note, most of these camps do limit participation to ensure quality coaching time for each judger and have an early registration deadline. We encourage you to reach out to the contacts we listed for more information to gather those details along with any costs. Camps listed below are for livestock judging, unless otherwise noted.
Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan.
- Livestock Judging Camp: June 6-8, June 11-13, June 15-17
- FMI: Chris Mullinix, cmullinix@k-state.edu or 785-532-1917
- Horse Judging Camp: June 6 (beginner); June 4-5 (advanced)
- FMI: James Lattimer, jlattimer@ksu.edu or 785-532-2840
Mississippi State University
- Livestock Judging Camp: May 12-14, May 28-30, June 2 (Day Camp)
- FMI: Brett Crow, 316-323-4879 or brett.crow@msstate.edu
- Horse Judging Camp: July 1-3
- FMI: Dr. Clay Cavinder, 662-325-7466 or cavinder@msstate.edu
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.
- June 5-7 or June 11-13
- FMI: Brad Bennett, bbennett8@unl.edu
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.
- June 11-13 or June 14-16
- FMI: Rusty Gosz, OSU Extension Youth Livestock Specialist, gosz@okstate.edu or 405-744-6060
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
- July 27-29; for grades 9-12
- FMI: Zach Bartenslagers, UT Judging Coach, zbartens@volst.utk.edu
Texas A&M, College Station, Texas
- June 17-19 or June 22-24
- FMI: Keaton Dodd, keatondodd@yahoo.com or 512-924-9954
Texas Tech, Lubbock, Texas
- Livestock Judging Camp: May 26-28
- Livestock & Meat Judging Camp: June 7-9
- FMI: Jon DeClerk, declerk@ttu.edu
- Livestock & Meat Judging Camp: June 7-9
- Meat Judging Camp: June 28-30
- FMI: Loni Lucherk, woolley@ttu.edu
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
- April 28: Livestock Judging Field Day
- July 16-18: Livestock Judging Camp for sixth graders – high school seniors
- FMI: Dr. Bain Wilson, tbwilson@vt.edu or Taylor Langford, tlangf@vt.edu
Blinn College, Brenham, Texas
- June 14-16 (experienced)
- June 18-20 (novice)
- FMI: Brice Mund, 979-224-4423 or Joe Rathmann, 512-988-0084
Casper College, Casper, Wyo.
- June 25-27
- FMI: Jeremy Burkett, jburkett@caspercollege.edu or 307-268-2417
Connors State College, Warner, Okla.
- July 6-8
- FMI: Nolan Hildebrand, nolanrh@okstate.edu
NEO, Miami, Okla.
- June 25-27
- FMI: Taylor Graham, graham10@neo.edu or 918-961-2141
Redlands Community College, El Reno, Okla.
- June 4-6
- FMI: Brandon Callis, 979-204-1265 or callis@redlandscc.edu
Judge Like a Champ Livestock Judging Camp at Buffalo Gap High School, Va.
- May 11-13
- Work with Virginia Tech Coach Taylor Langford, University of Tennessee Coach Zach Bartenslager, and Fort Scott Community College Coach Blake Davis, as well as some collegiate judging alumni.
- FMI: Shirley Kaufman, sjkaufman@augusta.k12.va.us or 540.292.1742
or Eric Stogdale, estogdale@augusta.k12.va.us or 540.569.7176
Arizona Livestock Camp, Holbrook, Ariz.
- July 17-20
- FMI: AZLivestockCamp@sunlundchemical.com
The Ohio State University’s Livestock Judging Camp, Ohio
- June 4-2
- FMI: Hank LeVan, levan.27@osu.edu
South Plains College Livestock Judging
- You Be The Judge: June 1-3
- Livestock Judging 101: July 27-29
- FMI: Conner Newsom, 325-812-8283
University of Wyoming Livestock Judging Camp
- June 5-7
- FMI: Caleb Boardman, 307-766-2159 or Caleb.Boardman@uwyo.edu
South Dakota State University Livestock Judging Team Camp
- Camp 1: June 7-9
- Camp 2: June 10-12
- FMI: Brady Jenson, 605-688-5165 or brady.jenson@sdstate.edu
Eastern Oklahoma State College Livestock Judging Camp
- June 13-15
- FMI: Jade Jenkins 660-988-0515
