All-Americans; Tech livestock judging leaders honored as the nation's best
In an overwhelming show of academic strength, six outstanding seniors from Texas Tech University received All-American Livestock Judging Team Award honors on Tuesday (Nov. 15) at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville. Only 10 all-American slots were available to competitors.
The honorees, presented as part of the National Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest, included Clay Burson from Abilene; Clayton Gardner from Estancia, NM; Kody Lucherk from Poth; Logan Pritchett from Kingfisher, Okla.; Brady Ragland from Wolfforth; and Loni Woolley from Grandview.
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.
Forty-one students were nominated this season for all-American recognition, said Steve Spivey, assistant superintendent of the livestock judging contest. Ten individuals make up the 2011 team, and the average grade point average for this year's recipients is 3.92.
All-American team judges are current or former animal science department administrators representing most regions across the nation. They include Maynard Hogberg, Iowa State; Mark McCann, Virginia Tech; Jim Males, Oregon State; Jim Heird, Texas A&M, and James Kinder, Ohio State.
The Texas Tech all-Americans come from a diverse background and have a variety of interests, including:
"Clay Burson. A member of the Block and Bridle Club and the Meat Science Association, he's responsible for organizing the West Texas Rehabilitation Center Lamb and Goat Sale. This summer, Burson interned with ZS Brady & Company Law Firm, which represented ranchers impacted by wind energy transmission lines. The experience helped shape his desire to attend law school.
"Clayton Gardner. A two-time reserve champion with the Texas Cattle Feeders Association Fed Beef Challenge, he's a member of the 2011 Reserve National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation team. Gardner is a member of Gamma Beta Phi, Phi Theta Kappa, and Block and Bridle, and hopes to attend graduate school and ultimately become an agricultural lobbyist.
"Kody Lucherk. He served as an undergraduate research assistant in the beef cattle nutrition with a project investigating chromium propionate supplement, as well as a summer intern with JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeders. He was high individual overall at the Fort Worth and Houston Collegiate Livestock Judging Contests last spring. Lucherk plans on establishing a feedlot consulting business.
"Logan Pritchett. President of the livestock judging team and a representative to Ag Council., he served an internship this summer with Cimmaron and JBS Cattle Feeders in Texhoma, Okla. Pritchett was a member of the Reserve National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation Team and was seventh high individual overall. He plans on working in the cattle feeding industry.
"Brady Ragland. A member of the Block and Bridle club and Meat Science Association, he worked as an undergraduate research assistant with a Texas Tech ruminant nutritionist and muscle biologist. He was previously selected as an All American in Junior College while judging for Blinn College. Ragland plans on working at a progressive science-based company in research and development.
"Loni Woolley. President of the Block and Bridle club and Secretary of the College of Agricultural Sciences Student Council, she was a member of the National Champion Meat Science Quiz Bowl Team (2010), and the Reserve National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation Team (2011). Woolley plans on becoming a college professor to teach and coach meat judging teams.
Other individuals on the All-American Livestock Judging Team are Lauren James, Kansas State; Katy Shircliff, Ohio State; Ryan Smoes, Texas A&M; and Stephanie Willis, Oklahoma State.
Written by Norman Martin
CONTACT: Ryan Rathmann, assistant professor, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at 742-2805 ext. 233 or ryan.rathmann@ttu.edu
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