Seven students from New Ulm High School traveled to Sibley County Fairgrounds in Arlington to compete in the Region 7 Livestock Evaluation. The event was held on October 15, 2025.

CDE stands for Career Development Events, which prepare students for real-world jobs. The goal of their contest was to choose the best show animal from six different categories that correspond with the judges. Students also have to give verbal reasons explaining why they placed the animals the way they did.

“Livestock Judging is about picking the ideal animal that goes with what the judges decide,” Senior Zelli Kamm said.

The livestock judging team finished in fifth place out of 25 teams, along with 105 individuals. With no seniors graduating from the team, they were able to compete at the same level as previous years. These students will travel to compete at the State Convention in April.

“We have been practicing during lunch, which has improved our ability to give reasons,” Kamm said. 

This year, the judging team consisted of 3 freshmen who were first-year judgers. Freshman Logan Sondag-Bode was put on the varsity team as a first-timer, while the other two competed on the JV level. Livestock Judging takes practice, but Logan proved that he was up for the challenge.

“It was hard for me to get into,” Logan Sondag-Bode said. “Giving reasons is the hardest part because of the long line to wait in before you see the judges.”