Texas Tech Wins Australian International Meat Judging Contest

Texas Tech's meat judging team took first place honors at the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest (ICMJ) in Armidale, New South Wales, on Saturday (July 9). Overall, the team ranked first in beef, pork and lamb carcass judging, placings, grading and reasons/questions as well as second in retail cut identification.

The team earned the title of "World Champions," and all 13 members placed among the event's top 15 contestants. Jerra McMath, a senior from Estancia, N.M., was high individual. Drew Cashman, a sophomore from New Windsor, Md., was second high individual. The team, housed in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, won the annual contest by 433 points, beating 11 Australian and Japanese university competitors.

"This competition was a once-in-a-life-time experience," said Mark Miller, team coach and Texas Tech's San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in meat science. "We certainly want to thank all those who helped and supported us over the years. They made all of this possible."

Team members competing in Australia included:



• Blaine Corliss, a junior from Estancia, N.M.

• Natalee Smith, a junior from Albemarle, N.C.
• Faith Jurek, a junior from Goldthwaite

• Mandy-Jo Laurent, a junior from Nacogdoches

• Andrea Nordman, a junior from Florence

• Craig Russell, a senior from Visalia, Calif.
• Zach Smith, a junior from Sweetwater

• Cody Sultenfuss, a junior from Little-River Academy
• Kaitlyn True, a junior from Plainview

• Amanda White, a senior from Garden City, Kan.

• Dakota Williams, a sophomore from Glenrose

Other coaches include Andrea Garmyn, a Texas Tech post-doctoral research associate; and Shanna Ward, an animal and food sciences graduate student.

Earlier this year the team won its seventh-consecutive first place award at the Houston Livestock Show's Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest. They were also first at the Southwestern Livestock Show's Meat Judging Contest in Fort Worth.

During the 2010 judging season, the team won six of seven national contests, making it one of the most successful teams since meat judging began at Texas Tech in 1938.

The goal of the Australian ICMJ contest is to expose and encourage students into careers in the meat industry; therefore, participants heard presentations from industry leaders in the global sector while competing.