Livestock Judging Team Takes Win at Southwestern Expo

Texas Tech University’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.”

Texas Tech had four of the top-ten individuals. Kody Lucherk, a junior from Poth, was high individual overall. Clay Morrison, a junior from Midland, finished second. Sixth high individual was Brady Ragland, a junior from Wolfforth, and ninth high individual was Joel Riedel, a junior from Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Additional team members include 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; and Loni Woolley, a junior from Grandview.

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.

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CONTACT: Moriah Beyers, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, (806) 742-2805 ext. 248, or moriah.beyers@ttu.edu.