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Slideshow: Organizers bring a cattle show to the Manhattan, Kan., streets of the downtown Aggieville Business District.

Jennifer M. Latzke, Editor

April 27, 2021

9 Slides

Exhibitors from Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado made the drive to Manhattan, Kan., April 17 for the first Aggieville Showdown.

The show began in the morning at the Riley County Fairgrounds, with the selection of the champions in the prospect market steer, breeding heifer, and showmanship classes. Then, the breed champions and their handlers loaded up and made the trip to Moro Street in Aggieville for the Grand Drive in the evening. Aggieville is a business district in Manhattan focused on restaurants, entertainment and shopping. It’s close to the Kansas State University campus. The festivities also included a fashion show featuring styles from vendors and sponsors, as well as music from recording artist Lucas Maddy.

Jake Wagner, Loveland, Colo., evaluated the market steers, and Ashley Judge, also of Loveland, evaluated the breeding heifers.

Results

Here are the winners in the top three Aggieville Showdown categories:

• Market steers. The Champion Simmental Market Steer shown by Dax Seibert, Pawnee County, Kan., was the Grand Champion Market Steer overall. Kiera Bremer, Nance County, Neb., led her Champion Crossbred Market Steer to Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer honors.

• Breeding heifers. The Grand Champion Breeding Heifer was Jackie Sleichter’s Champion Chianina. Sleichter hails from Dickinson County, Kan. Reserve Grand Champion honors went to Carly Kolterman’s Champion Limousin. Kolterman is from Seward County, Neb.

• Showmanship. Madison Loschke, Ford County, Kan., was named Premier Showman.

For full results, visit aggievilleshowdown.com/2021-results.

About the Author(s)

Jennifer M. Latzke

Editor, Kansas Farmer

Through all her travels, Jennifer M. Latzke knows that there is no place like Kansas.

Jennifer grew up on her family’s multigenerational registered Angus seedstock ranch and diversified farm just north of Woodbine, Kan., about 30 minutes south of Junction City on the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills. Rock Springs Ranch State 4-H Center was in her family’s backyard.

While at Kansas State University, Jennifer was a member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and a national officer for the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. She graduated in May 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and a minor in animal science. In August 2000 Jennifer started her 20-year agricultural writing career in Dodge City, Kan., on the far southwest corner of the state.

She’s traveled across the U.S. writing on wheat, sorghum, corn, cotton, dairy and beef stories as well as breaking news and policy at the local, state and national levels. Latzke has traveled across Mexico and South America with the U.S. Wheat Associates and toured Vietnam as a member of KARL Class X. She’s traveled to Argentina as one of 10 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism. And she was part of a delegation of AAEA: The Ag Communicators Network members invited to Cuba.

Jennifer’s an award-winning writer, columnist, and podcaster, recognized by the Kansas Professional Communicators, Kansas Press Association, the National Federation of Presswomen, Livestock Publications Council, and AAEA. In 2019, Jennifer reached the pinnacle of achievements, earning the title of “Writer of Merit” from AAEA.

Trips and accolades are lovely, but Jennifer says she is happiest on the road talking to farmers and ranchers and gathering stories and photos to share with readers.

“It’s an honor and a great responsibility to be able to tell someone’s story and bring them recognition for their work on the land,” Jennifer says. “But my role is also evolving to help our more urban neighbors understand the issues our Kansas farmers face in bringing the food and fiber to their store shelves.”

She spends her time gardening, crafting, watching K-State football, and cheering on her nephews and niece in their 4-H projects. She can be found on Twitter at @Latzke.

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