Meat, Wool and Livestock Judging Teams Start Strong

With teams coming in first, third and fourth places, Texas Tech’s meat, wool and livestock judging teams once again proved that Texas Tech’s judging program is one of the most consistent and competitive in the nation at the recent National Western Stock Show and Rodeo held in Denver, Colo.

“I am once again proud of the consistency we have developed in our judging program here at Tech,” said Horn Professor Mark Miller, co-coach of the meat judging team and the San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science.  “Each team has a competitive spirit that drives them to excellence.”

The Meat Judging Team began its season with a 156-point victory, posting a total team score of 4,144 points. They won the beef grading, beef judging, overall beef, lamb judging, placing and reasons divisions.

Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M University, Angelo State University and Kansas State University finished second through fifth, respectively.

The Red Raiders also boasted the top four individuals in the competition and had five of the top-ten individuals in the alternate division.

Individual placements are as follows:

• Bo Hutto, a sophomore from Hondo, placed first overall
• Heather Rode, a sophomore from Doss, placed second overall
• Valerie Manning, a sophomore from Mabank, placed third overall
• Dewayne Phillips, a sophomore from Stephenville, placed fourth overall

In the alternate division:

• Steven Ebeling, a sophomore from Plainview, placed first
• Dan Crownover, a sophomore from Italy, placed second
• Weston Burson, a sophomore from Florence, placed third
• Garydale Grubelnik, a junior from Raton, N.M., placed sixth
• Colton Christian, a sophomore from Farwell, placed tenth

Additional team members include: Tanner Adams, a sophomore from Sanger; Bradley Davis, a junior from Lubbock; Trevor King, a sophomore from Winnsboro; and Zac Miller, a sophomore from Seymour.

The team is coached by graduate students Collin Corbin and Henry Ruiz along with Miller.

The team will compete at two more contests this spring including the Southwestern in Fort Worth and the Houston Livestock Show.

The Wool Judging Team was narrowly defeated in its competition. Only one point separated the top three teams. South Dakota State won the contest with a score of 1,807. Texas A&M finished second with 1,806 points. Texas Tech finished third with the same score and won the grading division.

Individually, Tech had four members finish in the top ten:

• Ward Kerr, a freshman from Mertzon, placed sixth
• Tyler Newman, a freshman from Hondo, placed seventh
• Colton Coker, a freshman from Roby, placed eighth
• Austin Langemeier, a freshman from Marion, place ninth

Additional team members include: Brittany Blum, a freshman from Howe; Kylan Carson, a freshman from Olton; Tayler Green, a freshman from Ropesville; Kassandra Ognoskie, a freshman from Orting, Wash.; Bailey Jo Pennington, a freshman from Sonora; Marlynke Vanderlei, a freshman from Amherst; Rex West, a freshman from Paris; Christy Woerner, a freshman from Fredericksburg; William Wunderlich, a freshman from Fredericksburg; and Lukas Ziegler, a freshman from New Windsor, Md.

The team is coached by graduate student Aaron Jennings and undergraduates Brittany Thompson and Trevor White.

They will also compete at both the San Antonio and Houston Livestock Shows this spring.

The Livestock Judging Team began its spring with a competitive fourth place finish and total team score of 4,652 points at the National Western. Texas A&M University won the contest (4,682), Oklahoma State University was second (4,681) and Iowa State University was third (4,656).

Individually, Whitney Stuart, a junior from Fresno, Calif., ranked third in the competition.

Additional team members include: Travis Begley, a junior from Plainview; Ryan Boldt, a junior from Longmont, Colo.; Drew Cashman, a junior from New Windsor, Md.; Segayle Foster, a junior from Lockney; Mandy-Jo Laurent, a junior from Nacogdoches; Cade Luckett, a junior from Matador; Ryan Rotramel, a junior from Devine; Levi Schaefer, a junior from Garden City; Alyssa Smith, a junior from Michigantown, Ind.; Zach Smith, a junior from Sweetwater; Luke Strecker, a junior from Rockbridge Bath, Va. and Dakotah Williams, a junior from Glenrose.

The team is coached by Assistant Professor Ryan Rathmann, graduate student Josh Cribbs, and undergraduates Kody Lucherk and Brady Ragland.

Additionally, the team will compete at Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston this spring.

The National Western Stock Show began in 1906 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest shows with a prestigious history of judging contests.