Tech Meat Judging Team continues winning streak
The Texas Tech Meat Judging Team took home its third win of the 2009 season during its last competition of the school year Saturday at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and also took home a rare eighth consecutive win.
"This win is Texas Tech Meat Judging Team's eighth consecutive win," said Markus Miller, a professor in the Animal and Food Sciences department and one of the team's coaches. "This is outstanding because no other team has done this since 1973 and 1974."
Miller said only one different school has had consecutive wins since 1974; that team won four in a row. "After winning in Houston, others nationally and internationally are looking at us and saying, 'How is Texas Tech doing this?'" Miller said.
Kevin Pond, Animal and Food Sciences department chairman, also was pleased about the recognition the program is receiving for the win. "To have two teams go and come back with first and second place is great for the college," he said. "These wins are prestigious for Texas Tech."
John Burns, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, was in Houston for the competition, as well. "I was at the awards ceremony and could not have been more proud of our young men and women," he said.
Travis O'Quinn, a meat science graduate student from League City and the student coach, said the visibility of winning promotes graduate students' interests to the Meat Science program. The meat judging competition in Houston included 19 teams from 12 schools.
The competitions show others what the college is doing, he said. O'Quinn was a team member in 2006 and said this opportunity to go compete also is beneficial to students. "The competitions can help students who want to be doctors and lawyers as well as agriculture workers," O'Quinn said. "The meat judging consists of taking four carcasses and whole sale cuts and ranking them from most valuable to least valuable, and everything is timed."
Abby Long, a sophomore animal science major from Boerne, said being a part of the meat judging team and competing teaches students different skills for the future. "Thinking critically and logically is a skill I gain from competing, as well as working with a team," she said.
Miller said this year's team has two things going for them - "A big work ethic and team chemistry." Students are only eligible to compete on the team for one year, he said. The 2009 team has four more competitions next fall, including the Eastern National, American Royal, Cargill Meat Solutions and the National Championship.
"If the team stays humble and unselfish, they will do well and have a chance to win the National Championship next fall," Miller said.
Long said she thinks plenty of talent is available on the team. "I believe we have a huge chance to win," she said. "We have 15 solid judgers."
Meagan Igo, a sophomore animal science major from Plainview, said facilities and faculty are helpful in the success of the team. "The meat lab and coaches are great at getting whatever product we need for practicing," Igo said. "We are always able to see what we need to see before competition, whether it's meat from Iowa or Plainview."
Long said before college she had no experience in agriculture. "The coaches have taught me everything I know, they're great," she said.
Burns also complimented the coaching of Miller and O'Quinn. "Historically, our faculty coaches have been the best in the country. Certainly Travis and Mark have continued that tradition of excellence," he said.
The 15-student team was split into two teams of four. After an all-day judging event beginning at 7 a.m., the two teams won first and second place. The students also must defend their decisions by writing a two page paper, O'Quinn said.
Schools at the competition included, Auburn, Colorado State, Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, O'Quinn said. The same schools, excluding some of the smaller ones, attend every competition of the year, he said.
This year's competitions have been in Denver, Colorado at the National Western, Fort Worth, at the National Southwest and Houston, and at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Written by Chelsea Kimble/Staff Writer/The Daily Toreador
Editor's Note: For more information, click http://media.www.dailytoreador.com/media/storage/paper870/news/2009/03/11/News/Meat-Judging.Team.Continues.Winning.Streak-3667805-page2.shtml
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