Meat Animal Evaluation Team Wins National Championship
April 9, 2009
Texas Tech University's Meat Animal Evaluation Team placed first March 27 at the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest at the Oklahoma City Stockyards at Oklahoma State University.
Written by: Jessica Behnham
Texas Tech University's Meat Animal Evaluation Team placed first March 27 at the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest at the Oklahoma City Stockyards at Oklahoma State University. Texas Tech has won the prestigious contest for an unprecedented three years in a row. Texas Tech won the swine, beef evaluation, breeding animal, market animal and communication divisions. In addition, the team ranked second in the meat and sheep divisions. The team earned 8,693 points, outscoring the second place team by 336 points. "The team excelled in every division," said Ryan Rathmann, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech and the team's coach. "I'm proud of the students for staying focused and working hard to achieve this honor. It's a pleasure to be associated with these kids and the Texas Tech program." The two-day contest was specifically designed to encourage students to seek a more complete understanding of the food supply from conception to consumer. The event is perceived as the ultimate judging contest because students must be competent in all areas of the livestock and meats industry to excel. Texas Tech's Drew Perez led the team as high-point individual, followed by teammates Ben Cammack, Cade Halfmann, Josh Flohr and Henry Ruiz, who finished amongst the top-ten individuals. Members of the meat animal evaluation team are:- Ben Cammack, a junior from Seguin
- Tyler Cowie, a junior from Magnolia
- Micah Dorsey, a junior from Strasburg, Colo.
- Shayna Dunlap, a junior from Estancia, N.M.
- Josh Flohr, a junior from Emmitsburg, Md.
- Paige Futrell, a junior from Midland
- Cade Halfmann, a junior from Garden City
- Josh Hasty, a junior from Cleburne
- CA Jones, a junior from Sunray
- Matthew Morales, a senior from Satanta, Kan.
- Drew Perez, a junior from Nara Visa, N.M.
- Henry Ruiz, a junior from Eagle Pass
- Trae Simmons, a junior from Tipton, Ind.
- Olivia Tilly, a junior from Hawley
- Austin Voyles, a senior from Hale Center
- Shanna Ward, a junior from Coffeyville, Kan.