Texas Tech University's Livestock Judging Team finished in third place on Saturday (Nov. 3) at the American Royal Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest in Kansas City. The contest tested the participants' knowledge of cattle, sheep, goats and swine, as well as, oral reasons. 

Tech finished behind Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Colorado State and Kansas State rounded out the top five teams overall. Twenty-seven teams from across the nation were gathered for the competition.

Texas Tech was led by second high individual Whitney Stuart, a senior from Clovis, Calif., who posted a score of 960 points. Her teammate Luke Strecker, a senior from Rockbridge Baths, Va., finished fifth overall in the competition with a score of 951. The Texas Tech team finished second in oral reasons, third in swine and fifth in beef cattle.

In addition to Stuart and Strecker, team members included:

• Travis Begley, a senior from Plainview
• Ryan Boldt, a senior from Longmont, Colo.
• Drew Cashman, a senior from New Windsor, Md.
• Segayle Foster, a senior from Lockney
• Mandy-Jo Laurent, a senior from Nacogdoches
• Cade Luckett, a senior from Matador
• Ryan Rotramel, a senior from Devine
• Alyssa Smith, a senior from Michigantown, Ind.
• Levi Schaefer, a senior from Garden City
• Zach Smith, a senior from Sweetwater
• Dakotah Williams, a senior from Glenrose

The team is coached by Ryan Rathmann, an assistant professor in Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences, along with graduate students Josh Cribbs and Brady Ragland. The team will compete at the International Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest in Louisville on Nov. 12.

Written by Moriah Beyers

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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