NOC is National Junior College Livestock Judging Team of the Year. A title earned by the Northern Oklahoma College Livestock Judging Team after being named the High Team Overall at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo March 19.This is the first time in school history that NOC has been named National Junior College Team of the Year.The NOC team, under the direction of coach Jennifer Bedwell, won four national livestock judging events including High Team at The American Royal (Kansas City), North American International Livestock Exhibition (Louisville), The National Western (Denver) and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (Houston).In addition, NOC judgers Anna Hannon, Kale Campbell, Olivia Gerloff, and Cooper Thompson were recognized as All-Americans.“This was an amazing year with an amazing group of kids,” Bedwell said. “They are just amazing and to see their hard work pay-off with Team of the Year is a real blessing for them and for this program.”Bedwell said she had a vision when she recruited this group of sophomores two years ago. “I looked across the country for the right kids for this program,” she said. “Not just great livestock judgers but I wanted great students. I wanted kids that would work hard, driven, self-motivating, and leaders among their peers. Those were the type of kids I wanted and was so fortunate they said yes to NOC and came here. In the end, we were able to accomplish our goals.”When she recruited this group, she had some advice for each one. “I told them they could clap with us or for us, but the team from NOC would be winning,” she said. “They bought into it from the beginning. Even as freshmen, they were so incredibly coachable and made my job easy. I’m very blessed that they chose to come judge for me at NOC.”Team members include Kale Campbell-Jet, OK, Cooper Thompson- Adair OK, Kash Butler-Grove, OK, Kord Butler- Grove, OK, Doug Hewitt- Cleveland OK, Sydney Alsip- Verona, KY, Brylee Williams- Princeton, MO, Olivia Gerloff- Bland, MO, Kylee Cannon- Kansas City, MO, Anna Hannon- Rensselaer, IN, Blake Peterson- Remington, IN, Emma Carley- Boise, ID, Hannah McElrath – Calhoun, GA, Parker Fleming, Jasper GA, and Aaron Mahan, Huntsville, AR.She complimented them on their work ethic. “It’s really special to see a group of 20 years-old young people that work as hard as they do,” she said. “That’s not common in today’s world but this group ...
