Judging Teams Begin Season Strong

The Texas Tech judging teams are taking the judging world by storm.

Livestock Judging Team Takes Win at Southwestern Expo

Texas Tech's livestock judging team brought home its first win of the season as it took top honors Feb. 6 at the competitive Southwestern Livestock Exposition's Livestock Judging Contest hosted by the Fort Worth Stock Show.

Texas Tech won the sheep, cattle and reasons divisions. Overall, it outdistanced its nearest competitor, Texas A&M University, by 19 points. The University of Arkansas, Kansas State University and Angelo State University rounded out the top five teams.

"This was a great win for this talented group of students," said the team's coach, Ryan Rathmann, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. "I'm expecting them to keep working hard and perform even better at the next two contests this spring."

The team is coached by Rathmann and graduate student Bryan Bernhard.

The team has two contests remaining this spring, one at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition and another at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Meat Judging Teams Take Top Honors at Southwestern Show

Texas Tech's meat judging team won first place Jan. 30 at the competitive Southwestern Livestock Show's Meat Judging Contest in Fort Worth. The contest, hosted by the American Meat Science Association in conjunction with the Fort Worth stock show, is the first win of 2011 for the 16-member team. The Red Raiders took the top spot by a 47-point margin and posting a score of 4,133 points. They finished first in the beef judging and overall beef. Other top finishers, in placement order, were South Dakota State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Wyoming and Kansas State University. Twelve universities participAated.

"This was an exciting win for the 2011 team," said Mark Miller, professor and San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science. "The group worked hard to earn their first win."

The team is coached by Texas Tech graduate student Shanna Ward and Miller and will compete again on March 5 at the Houston Livestock Show.

Judging Teams Begin Season Strong at National Western

Texas Tech University's wool, meat and livestock judging teams recently competed at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, where they boasted a first place and three second place team finishes.

"I am extremely proud of the consistency we have developed in our judging program here at Tech," said Mark Miller, co-coach of the meat judging team and the San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science. "Each team is working hard to achieve excellence in their respective contests."

The National Western Stock Show began in 1906 and is one of the nation's oldest and largest shows with a prestigious history of judging contests.

The Wool Judging Team was awarded champion honors and narrowly defeated the competition by one point to win the wool judging competition in Denver for only the second time since 1986. Texas Tech's other team finished fourth in the competition.

The team is coached by graduate student Aaron Jennings and undergraduate Craig Leonard.

The Meat Judging Team finished second to Colorado State University in their contest by a 27-point margin. The contest was held at JBS Swift in Greeley, Colo. The team is coached by graduate student Shanna Ward and Miller.

The Livestock Judging Team also finished second in its contest at the National Western behind Texas A&M University. Assistant Professor Ryan Rathmann and graduate student Bryan Bernhard coach the team.

They achieved second place honors in the Carload Contest – a competition unique to the National Western Stock Show. Tech team member Clayton Gardener was high individual in the Carload Contest. The team will also compete at contests in Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston this spring.

Meat Judging Team Members

• Dakota Williams, a sophomore from Glenrose
• Travis Begley, a sophomore from Plainview
• Zach Smith, a sophomore from Sweetwater
• Drew Cashman, a sophomore from New Windsor, Md.
• Blaine Corliss, a junior from Estancia, N.M.
• Cody Helms, a junior from Cleburne
• Faith Jurek, a sophomore from Goldthwaite
• Mandy-Jo Laurent, a sophomore from Nacogdoches
• Jerra McMath, a junior from Estancia, N.M.
• Andrea Nordman, a junior from Florence
• Craig Russell, a junior from Visalia, Calif.
• Natalee Smith, a junior from Albemarle, N.C.
• Cody Sultenfuss, a sophomore from Little-River Academy
• Tyler Travis, a sophomore from Pleasant Valley
• Kaitlyn True, a sophomore from Plainview
• Amanda White, a junior from Garden City, Kan.

Wool Judging Team Members

• Brittany Thompson, a freshman from Allen
• Tanner Adams, a freshman from Sanger
• Steven Ebeling, a freshman from Plainview
• Whitney Keith, a freshman from Giddings
• Roy Crownover, a freshman from Italy
• Amy Gulick, a freshman from Lubbock
• Bo Hutto, a freshman from Hondo
• Trevor King, a freshman from Winnsboro
• Valerie Manning, a freshman from Mabank
• Dallas Marley, a freshman from Plainview
• Laura Kate Reeves, a freshman from Staunton, Va.
• Heather Rode, a freshman from Doss
• Tanner Martin, a freshman from Roscoe

Livestock Judging Team members

• Kody Lucherk, a junior from Poth
• Clay Morrison, a junior from Midland
• Brady Ragland, a junior from Wolfforth
• Joel Riedel, a junior from Arroyo Grande, Calif.
• Clay Burson, a junior from Abilene
• Brandi Capps, a junior from Dewey, Okla.
• Jordan Clem, a junior from New Home
• Clayton Gardner, a junior from Estancia, N.M.
• Tanner Kieschnick, a junior from Vernon
• Katie Rose McCullough, a junior from Castle Rock, Colo.
• Nathan Pond, a junior from Wolfforth
• Logan Pritchett, a junior from Kingfisher, Okla.
• Nathan Reeves, a junior from League City
• Markus Miller, a junior from Abernathy
• Trevor White, a junior from New Home
• Loni Woolley, a junior from Grandview