Meat Judging Team Wins 10th National Western Stock Show

Written by Erin Hawes

Texas Tech’s meat judging team received first place honors at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo. The 2010 team won its first national contest by an impressive 56-point margin.

The team placed first in beef judging, lamb judging and specifications and reasons, resulting in a total score of 4,034 points.

“This is Texas Tech’s 10th win at the National Western,” said Mark Miller, professor and San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science “This is a talented team that worked hard to win its first contest and carry on the tradition of excellence.”

Texas Tech meat judging teams have won 12 of the last 13 national meat judging competitions, Miller explained.

Individually, Texas Tech boasted three of the top ten individuals in the contest. Trevor White, a sophomore from New Home, placed fifth overall. Loni Woolley, a sophomore from Grandview, ranked sixth overall, and KatieRose McCullough, a sophomore from Castle Rock, Colo., finished tenth overall. Two Red Raiders also finished in the top ten of the alternate division.

In addition to White, Woolley and McCullough, team members include:

• Mai Lee Holmes, a sophomore from Katy
• Jessica Kimbro, a junior from Paradise
• Markus Miller, a sophomore from Abernathy
• Nathan Reeves, a sophomore from League City
• Ethan Schlegel, a sophomore from Tribune, Kan.
• Troy Tarpley, a sophomore from Fort Stockton

The team is coached by Miller and meat science graduate student Travis O’Quinn.

The contest was held at JBS Swift in Greeley. Awards were presented at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo. The National Western officially began in 1906 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest shows.