Texas Tech Livestock Judging Team
The 2011 Texas Tech livestock judging team earned the title of national champions at the 2011 North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Ky. The Red Raiders finished with a total team score of 4,677 points, winning by a 31-point margin. The team won overall reasons and swine divisions, were second in the cattle division and ranked third in the sheep division. Individually, Brady Ragland, a senior from Wolfforth, was awarded high individual overall and three other team members placed in the top ten. Additionally, Rathmann was named the coach of the year at the banquet. Graduate student Bryan Bernhard also coached alongside Rathmann.
NAILE selected 10 individuals to receive All American honors. Texas Tech proved their academic strength winning an unprecedented six spots. The honorees included Burson, Gardner, Lucherk, Pritchett, Ragland and Woolley. The All-American awards program was initiated by the University Livestock Judging Team Coaches’ Association in 2000, and is designed to recognize students who’ve made a personal commitment to livestock judging and have also excelled in academics, university and industry activities and community service.
Earlier in the spring they won competitions at the Southwestern Exposition Show and Rodeo, Mid America Classic and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. In the fall, they captured wins at the National Barrow Show, Tulsa State Fair, State Fair of Texas and American Royal. The Red Raiders are only the eleventh team in the history of livestock judging to win at both the American Royal and NAILE.
2011 team members were:
Clay Burson, a senior from Abilene
Brandi Capps, a senior from Dewey, Okla.
Jordan Clem, a senior from New Home
Clayton Gardner, a senior from Estancia, N.M.
Tanner Kieschnick, a senior from Vernon
Kody Lucherk, a senior from Poth
Katie Rose McCullough, a senior from Castle Rock, Colo.
Clay Morrison, a senior from Midland
Nathan Pond, a senior from Wolfforth
Logan Pritchett, a senior from Kingfisher, Okla.
Nathan Reeves, a senior from League City
Joel Riedel, a senior from Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Markus Miller, a senior from Abernathy
Loni Woolley, a senior from Grandview
The 2012 team members are currently preparing for upcoming contests at the San Antonio Show and Rodeo and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. In the fall they will compete at the National Barrow Show, Tulsa State Fair, State Fair of Texas, American Royal, and NAILE.
2012 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
Whitney Stuart, a junior from Fresno, Calif.
Dakotah Williams, a junior from Glenrose