KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Champaign County 4-H Livestock Judging Team claimed first place at the American Royal Livestock Judging Contest held Sunday in Kansas City, Mo., earning an invitation to represent the United States at the International Livestock Judging Contest in Scotland in the summer of 2026.
Team members Hunter Shike, Morgan Huls, Lane Beyers, and Callie Turner topped teams from across the nation in one of the most competitive youth livestock judging contests in the country.
Coach Dan Shike said, “Each one of our team members had to get to the next level to make this happen. They showed up practice after practice, stayed consistent, and pushed themselves to improve. That commitment made all the difference.”
In addition to winning champion honors overall, the team also was named high team in oral reasons and high team in swine. They finished second high team in sheep/goats and sixth high team in cattle.
“This team is passionate about the livestock industry, and that passion drives them to be the best they can be,” said coach Jennifer Shike. “They don’t just want to win a contest, they want to make the industry better. We’ve watched them grow up in this program, and seeing their dedication and sacrifice pay off is really special.”
Individual honors were also earned by team members:
- Hunter Shike: 3rd Overall Individual, 1st in Oral Reasons, 2nd in Cattle, 3rd in Swine, and
19th in Sheep/Goats. - Morgan Huls: 7th Overall Individual, 8th in Oral Reasons, 4th in Swine, and 3rd in
Sheep/Goats. - Lane Beyers: 19th Overall Individual, 9th in Oral Reasons, and 10th in Sheep/Goats.
- Callie Turner: 34th Overall Individual, 17th in Oral Reasons, and 8th in Swine.
For these Illinois 4-H members, the championship was the culmination of years of hard work and teamwork.
“I was ecstatic when I heard our name announced,” said Hunter Shike. “We’ve worked really hard over the years, and it was awesome to see our progress.”
Morgan Huls agreed and said it was incredible to accomplish something they’ve all worked so hard for together.
Callie Turner said her favorite part is “getting to meet new people and travel with my team all over the state of Illinois and beyond,” while Lane Beyers shared that the experience taught him “how to make quick decisions without overthinking things.”
All four team members are planning or considering judging livestock at the collegiate level. The two high school seniors – Beyers and Shike – are in the process of choosing a college now. Beyers plans to pursue a degree in engineering and Shike plans to pursue a degree in animal science. Huls, a junior, wants to pursue a dual major in ag policy and political science. Turner is also a junior and plans to major in ag marketing and sales.
The team expressed its sincere appreciation for their community supporters, the Illinois 4-H program and all of the people who graciously hosted judging workouts.
About Illinois 4-H:
Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.