WIU Livestock Judging Team earns national championship

MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois University’s Livestock Judging Team earned national recognition this season, placing in the top five at the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City and being named the 2026 National Western Stock Show Senior College Champion Team in Denver.

At the National Western Stock Show, the Leathernecks captured Champion Team Overall honors, highlighted by strong finishes across multiple categories.

The team earned High Team Cattle, second High Team Sheep & Goats and fourth High Team Reasons, solidifying WIU’s position among the nation’s top collegiate livestock judging programs. Four WIU team members also finished in the top 10 individually at the national competition.

Individually at the National Western Stock Show, Carter Hoge placed third in High Individual Overall, third in Cattle, fifth in Reasons and fifth in Sheep & Goats.

Ally Loosen earned fifth High Individual Overall, along with top-10 finishes in Swine, Feedlot Cattle, Cattle and Reasons.

Rob Rogers placed third in Sheep and Goats and eighth Overall, while Marcus Eastridge finished fifth in Cattle and 10th Overall.

Maggie Goodson also recorded multiple top-10 finishes, including fourth in Cattle Reasons and seventh in Feedlot Cattle.

Earlier in the season at the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City, WIU placed fifth High Team Overall, including third High Team Swine, fifth High Team Cattle, sixth High Team Sheep & Goats and sixth High Team Reasons. Hoge also earned a ninth High Individual Overall finish and placed 10th in Cattle.