Jessica Humphrey also earned her second individual first-place finish.
The Texas Tech University Meat Judging Team in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences earned its second team title of the fall with a victory at the Elanco Animal Health American Royal Meat Judging Contest Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska.
Texas Tech easily outdistanced runner-up Oklahoma State University by 62 points, 4,218 to 4,156, while third-place Colorado State University finished with 4,122 points and Texas A&M University finished fourth with 4,116 points.
“The kids had a really good work ethic for this contest and focused on improving their reasons – and it showed,” said professor Mark Miller, the San Antonio Stock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Sciences and coach of the meat judging team.
Texas Tech earned top honors on the strength of its first-place finishes in the overall beef (2,159 points), beef grading (1,022) and reasons/questions (874) categories. Texas Tech also finished second in beef judging (1,137) and pork judging (1,109) and third in specifications (381).
Jessica Humphrey earned her second honor as the top individual finisher, outlasting teammate Tommy Fletcher for the win. Humphrey, a senior from Okeechobee, Florida, took first place with 1,063 points, just one point ahead of Fletcher, a junior from La Vernia.
Humphrey finished second in overall beef and beef grading and took third in reasons/questions. Fletcher had two third-place finishes in overall beef and pork judging.
Cole Perkins, a junior from Llano, was a close third with 1,060 points and actually had the most first-place finishes with three, winning overall beef, beef judging and reasons/questions.
Kye Schwartz, a junior from Wall, finished fourth in reasons/questions and fifth in lamb judging.
Other members of the meat judging team are:
- Kyle Caldwell, a junior from Midlothian
- Katlynn Freeman, a junior from Panhandle
- Lane Harrington, a senior from Frost
- Boyd Henry, a junior from Wall
- Courtney Jasik, a junior from Mertzon
- Shannon O'Quinn, a junior from League City
- Kiersten Scott, a senior from Scott City, Kansas
- Keeley Sears, a junior from Peaster
- Blayne Troxell, a junior from Pampa
- Chelsi Vineyard, a junior from Stephenville
- Megan Writt, a junior from Houston
Graduate students Loni Lucherk, Nick Hardcastle and Mallorie Phelps serve as assistant coaches for the team.
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