IMPERIAL, Nebraska – Yesterday, Chase County proudly hosted the 70th Annual Nebraska State Range Judging Contest, marking a milestone in one of the state’s longest-running educational contests. Organized by the Nebraska Range Judging Committee and put by local NRD, NRCS, and Nebraska Extension partners each year, six area contests and a concluding state contest to promote range management and conservation practices among Nebraska’s youth.

The event saw an impressive turnout, with 197 seniors, 205 juniors, and 27 adults competing from 47 schools across Nebraska. Participants demonstrated their knowledge in rangeland evaluation, plant identification, and ecological principles—skills critical to the future of Nebraska's rangelands and sustainable agriculture. The Upper Republican NRD was host for this year's contest with additional support coming from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, additional Natural Resources Districts, Nebraska Extension and many other conservation groups and individual local supporters.

Top Senior Individuals:

1. Mason Crumrine – West Holt
2. Mazee Johnson – Boyd County
3. Josiah Koenigsberg - Burwell
4. Cody Marshall – Burwell

Top 25% (receiving participation ribbons)

• Arapahoe - Trenton Roskop
• Arcadia - Baylon Kolar, Rylee Kursave
• Boyd County - Brandon Boettcher, Kayden Kayl
• Burwell - Ericka Larsen, Cale Buss, Cody Burson, Colter Wright, Kaitlyn Simpson
• Chadron High School - Owen Wess
• Chase County - Westyn Mendenhall, Jayme Gittlein, Odessa Zadina, Peyton Owens
• Fullerton - Aidan Bittner
• Hayes Center FFA - Ava Hardin
• Lewiston - Axel Seeman
• Loup County FFA - Emmett Sortum
• McPherson County - Isaac Goosey
• Meridian - Samuel Thomas
• Nebraska Ag Academy - Naomi Deaver, Emily Brhel
• Norris - Olivia Zoubek
• Ord - Dawson Thompson
• Rock county - Trey Anthony
• Sargent - LoReena Schauda, TJ Horky, Cazen Smith, Eve Kipp
• St. Paul - Layne Baker, Jack Thede
• Valentine - Quinton Nelson, Thane Taylor, Cadence Swanson
• West Holt - Lily Vogel, Madalyn Pistulka, Drake Nemetz, Monica Chavez, Hannah Olson, Zeke Klabenes, Lincoln Konrad, Kruz Jelinek, Nick Hansen, Cale Deseive
• Wheeler Central - Jayna Guggenmos

Top Junior Individuals

1. Berkleigh Dvorak – West Holt
2. London Konrad – West Holt
3. Lukas Fries – Chase County
4. Hunter Wettlaufer – West Holt

Top 25% (receiving participation ribbons)

• Arapahoe - Briggs Hill, Carter Blickenstaff
• Arcadia - Kale Dorsey, Jacob Andrews
• Boyd County – Kaci Koenig
• Burwell - Hudson Redman, Jordee Johnston, Kolton Thoene, Myah Wright, Julianne Borgelt
• Chardon – Sam Kahl, Kayden Kvistad
• Chase County – Aidan Vlasin, Ali Reeves, Kadence Wallin, Taylor Maddux, Braxton Chubb
• Deshler – Landyn Tuma
• Kimball - Trey Cook
• Lewiston - Evan Christen
• McCook - Kate Barenberg, Spencer Snyder
• Nebraska Ag Academy - Hazel Deaver, Heidi Deaver
• Ord - Elizabeth Skibinski, Kyptan Scheideler, Mason Bauer, Avery Bruha, Knox Nelson, Howard Winkelbauer
• Red Cloud - Bridgett Lockhart
• St. Paul - Rylan Rasmussen, Keislyn Poss, Conner Douthit
• Summerland - Breckyn Bergman
• Valentine - Raken Tinant, River Doyle, Annalena Nelson
• Wallace - Allyson Kemp
• West Holt - Elizabeth Olson, Jamison Slaymaker, Max Karo, Case Shane, Emersyn Mlady, Ian Shane
• Wheeler Central - Reese Smith, Justin Guggenmos, Hadley Pokorny

Top Senior Teams

1. West Holt: Mason Crumrine, Lily Vogel, Madalyn Pistulka, Drake Nemetz       
2. Burwell: Josiah Koenigsberg, Cody Marshall, Ericka Larsen, Cale Buss              
3. West Holt: Monica Chavez, Hannah Olson, Kruz Jelinek, Lincoln Konrad         

Top Junior Teams

1. West Holt: Berkleigh Dvorak, London Konrad, Hunter Wettlaufer, Elizabeth Olson      
2. Chase County: Lukas Fries, Aidan Vlasin, Ali Reeves, Kadence Wallin                                                
3. West Holt: Jamison Slaymaker, Max Karo, Case Shane, Emersyn Mlady