Contest History

The National Land & Range Judging Contest
A Proud History - A Bright Future

Yesterday

The year was 1942 and three Oklahoma conservationists were attempting to develop an effective and exciting means of educating youth about soil.  They had no idea that years later they would be credited with creating the procedures for what would become the National Land and Range Judging Contest.  Soil experts Edd Roberts, Extension soil conservationist in Stillwater; Sam Lowe, district conservationist at Pauls Valley; and Harley Daniels, station superintendent at the Red Plains Experiment Station near Guthrie, determined which soil properties and conditions could be judged, and developed score cards similar to those used to judge livestock.

The first state contest was held in Oklahoma in 1943.  Nine years later teams from other states were invited to the first national contest in Oklahoma City.

An Oklahoma team won the contest in 1953; but another team, convinced that it would have won if the contest were held in its state, challenged the winner.  Oklahoma accepted the challenge and did well enough out-of-state that everyone agreed the procedures used to judge in Oklahoma could be applied anywhere.

Today

The procedures developed by Robert, Lowe and Daniels have been applied to range judging and homesite evaluation.  Contestants are given the opportunity to attend training sessions the two days prior to the contest to familiarize themselves with Oklahoma soil and range conditions.

Approximately 950 teens and adults from 38 states currently participate in the contest.  All states are invited to send as many as five 4-H teams and five FFA teams to compete.  Teams from as far away as Hawaii have won awards at the contest.

Contest volunteers show their pride in the homegrown event by serving throughout the year on one of 23 committees, ensuring the contest continues to be both educational and fun.

In May 2006 the National Land and Range Judging Contest celebrates its 55th anniversary.  As long as food and fiber come from the soil, and our homes and other structures are built on earth, and the quality of our lives can be improved through a better understanding of our land, soil and natural resources, this event will continue to grow and thrive.