Grant Ottun of Sargent and his Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) Crops Judging teammates earned top placement at the 2026 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Conference, hosted by Illinois State University late last month.
The conference brings together top two-year and four-year agricultural colleges from across North America to compete in hands on contests designed to mirror real world ag careers.
Crop Contest Results
NCTA earned 1st Place Team honors in the Crops Contest against the eight two-year colleges competing.
- 1st – Wyatt Ozenbaugh, Ohiowa, NE
- 2nd – Grant Ottun, Sargent, NE
- 3rd – Aaron Underwood, Esbon, KS
KaCee Jo Saffer of Arriba, CO, was also a member of the official team contributing to the championship. Additional students competing as individuals included Mason Semler of Exeter, NE; Jada Eilert of Jewell, KS; Kyra Jespersen of Hemingford, NE; Hailey Loutzenhizer of Flagler, CO; and Rachel Bose of McCook, NE. All NCTA team members placed in the top 15 individually among over 50 competitors.
- 1st – Aaron Underwood
- 2nd – Grant Ottun
Wyatt Ozenbaugh and Jada Eilert were also members of the official team. Additional individual competitors included Mason Semler, Kyra Jespersen, Hailey Loutzenhizer, and Rachel Bose.
The NACTA Judging Conference is one of the premier collegiate agriculture competitions in North America, emphasizing technical knowledge, precision, and applied problem-solving across disciplines.
Dr. Brad Ramsdale, NCTA agronomy professor and crops judging coach, said the results reflect both preparation and the team culture built throughout the season. “These contests are about more than results; they’re about building confidence, sharpening skills, and learning to think through real agronomic challenges,” said Ramsdale. “This group continues to push each other, and that’s what makes them successful.”
