Wessington Springs will once again be represented on the national stage after its 4-H soils team captured first place at the 2026 South Dakota Rangeland and Soil Days competition June 9-10 in Belle Fourche.
The championship team of Wyatt Fagerhaug, Taryn Bartel, Tenley Olinger and Madilyn Gaikowski qualified for the National Land and Range Judging Contest, which will be held next spring in Oklahoma City.
Individually, Fagerhaug earned first place in the 4-H soils division, while Bartel placed sixth and Olinger finished eighth.
A second Wessington Springs soils team, consisting of Mauer Jones, Jalene Reiner, Roslyn Klein and Billy Roduner, also competed at the event.
In the FFA soils division, Connor Karsky placed fifth.
Wessington Springs also posted strong results in the rangeland competition.
The 4-H range team of Holden Jackson, Ryder Roduner, Brooklyn Caffee and Tucker Thompson competed in the event, with Jackson placing eighth individually.
In the FFA division, Hayes Christensen captured first place individually. Christensen teamed with Kohen Mebius in the FFA range competition.
Rangeland and Soil Days provides students with hands-on learning opportunities focused on South Dakota's natural resources. Competitors are tested on subjects including plant identification, soil quality, erosion, habitat suitability for livestock and wildlife, and other range and soil conservation principles.
'This group had a great trip,' Wessington Springs FFA and Vo-Ag instructor Brady Duxbury said. 'We had lots of fun and learned so much. The future of Wessington Springs land and range is bright.'