Purdue team claims NACTA Livestock Management title
Three members of the Purdue University Livestock Judging Team competed as the livestock management team and won the team championship at the 2026 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Livestock Management Contest.
In addition to winning the team title, the Purdue team swept the top three individual placings. Grace Kreischer earned first overall, Kelsie Avery placed second overall and Landon Sanders finished third overall. The team was coached by Hattie McGrady, livestock judging coach and judging teams coordinator in the Department of Animal Sciences.
Kreischer and Avery are animal sciences students, while Sanders is a student in chemical engineering.
The contest consisted of three sections, including an identification portion covering farm equipment, animal breeds and livestock management tools. Students also completed a general livestock knowledge exam and a problem-solving section featuring math questions related to beef, swine and sheep production.
Kreischer, a junior in animal sciences from Saint Joe, Indiana, said her background in agriculture helped prepare her for the contest.
“I would have to say simply growing up in agriculture and being a part of 4-H and FFA contributed the most to my success,” Kreischer said. “Having a general understanding of how animal production and management works was important in this type of contest.”
Grace Kreischer earned first overall in the livestock management contest at the 2026 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Conference. Kreischer said the competition reinforced the value of teamwork and confidence.
“Having the opportunity to compete at NACTA meant that you don’t need to know every little detail about aquaculture or alpacas, or any general livestock species,” Kreischer said. “You just need to trust in your teammates and yourself. My biggest takeaway from this contest is that you can do anything you put your mind to and always remember to have fun while you’re doing it.”
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