Judgment day: Agriculture students organize Maritime Intercollegiate Judging Competition

Planning the Maritime Intercollegiate Judging Competition may seem like a daunting task, but for BSc (Agriculture) students Andrew Greene and Kayla Graham, it’s second nature.

The students, who study on the Agricultural Campus, have grown up with 4H, judging competitions and event planning.

“I’ve been in 4H since I was seven years old. It’s something I’ve always done and I enjoy it," says Andrew. “Judging has taught me to be confident and analytical, and has given me the ability to make decisions.”

For Kayla, judging has much to offer. “Judging is a great opportunity for youth interested in agriculture to increase their knowledge and improve their judging abilities. Judging does not stop in the show ring; the knowledge gained can be applied to many future careers.”

The 2nd Annual Maritime Intercollegiate Judging Competition was held on campus and at the nearby MacMillan Show Centre on January 10. Four teams of four students each participated. This event involved livestock (dairy, beef, horses, goats and sheep) and non-livestock (such as forages and crops) classes.

“Hosting the Judging Competition not only gives our team the chance to shine on “home turf,” but also gives them valuable experience organizing and hosting an event," says Keltie Jones, assistant dean for students in the Faculty of Agriculture. "Coordinating venues, finding judges, engaging sponsors, and dealing with logistics are skills that their future employers will value. I’m very proud of what our students can do when they set their minds to it.”

Competitors are judged based on their placements of livestock or items, as well as being able to explain their reasoning to the judge. Examining conformation, overall body structure and health are just some of the components involved in judging livestock.    

This event allowed students from all backgrounds to participate and learn more about agriculture. Although the judging team on campus was heavily involved, the pre-vet club also volunteered throughout the day to hold animals while teams judged livestock, gaining valuable hands-on experience.

An awards banquet later in the evening allowed teams to network, learn the correct answers to the classes and celebrate achievements. The competition was made possible through generous sponsorship, producers bringing in livestock to judge, numerous volunteers and judges and fundraising efforts.

The experience gained from participating in judging competitions has lasting impacts on students, contributing to public speaking and decision making skills. The judging team is certainly a unique feature on our campus, keeping the rich tradition of agriculture alive.