2026 State Land Judging Competition Challenges Youth near Beatrice

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Students and instructors from over 40 high schools met near Beatrice to compete in State Land Judging Oct. 14, 2026. The Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District (NRD) hosted this year’s competition.

It was a brisk fall morning as 150 students judged soil pits on Paul and Cheryl Kimmerling’s farm north of Beatrice.

“Land judging gives students a better understanding of the soil beneath their feet and how it affects the land we depend on for farming and natural resources,” said Scott Sobokta, Lower Big Blue NRD general manager. “We’re pleased to host this competition and give students the opportunity to put their knowledge to work in the field.”

Land Judging is a high school competition that challenges students to gain a better understanding of soil structure and land evaluation. Teams consist of four students from the same FFA chapter, and a few individuals who qualified separate from a team. Each participant learns how to recognize the physical features of the soil, determine land capability for crop production, and evaluate management practices needed for proper stewardship. 

During the competition, students judge four soil pits using an evaluation card to make assessments on: soil depth, surface texture, permeability, slope, thickness of surface and erosion. The evaluation card is scored to determine overall placements for individuals and the team. To compete in the state contest, teams advance from one of the seven regional competitions hosted across the state in September and October. 

2026 State Land Judging Individual Champions:

1. Kailey Hartman, Pawnee City
2. Gage Hobbs, Syracuse
3. Mason Wiens, Hampton
4. Jamison Stava, Bishop Neumann
5. Colton Sigler, Aurora

2026 State Land Judging Team Champions:

1. Hampton (Mason Wiens, Noah Miller, Cason Bamesberger, Brayden Wolinski)
2. Johnson County Central (Cooper Jones, Stefani Peters, Tegan Topp, Tim Johns)
3. Heartland (David Hiebner, Jager Regier, Luke Janzen, Waylon Tessman)
4. Ansley (Madie Loy, Kaleb Meyers, Abby Hickenbottom, Garittee Smith)
5. Bishop Neumann (Jamison Stava, Natalie Cantrall, Josie Opp, Connor Himmelberg)

These top five Nebraska teams will advance to the national competition hosted in El Reno, Oklahoma, May 2027. For more information on Nebraska Land Judging, visit https://www.nrdnet.org/land-judging.