No team had a better weekend than the meat judging team, which dominated a field that includes fellow perennial powers Oklahoma State , Colorado State and Kansas State . The meat judging team romped to a 114-point victory and posted 4,252 points, the second-highest cumulative point total by a team at any contest in the history of meat judging. The team swept the beef grading, beef judging, overall beef, pork judging, specifications and reasons divisions.

Texas Tech also had the top four individual finishers. Darby Gonzales, a sophomore from Hondo, took the top honors and tied for first with teammate Clay Bendele, also a sophomore from Hondo. Sean Morrow, a sophomore from Nolan, took fourth and Erin Beyer, a sophomore from Brookshire, finished eighth.

In the alternate division Melani Howell, a sophomore from Seymour, placed first; Cody Shannon, a junior from Royse City, placed second; Landon French, a junior from Burleson, placed third; Morgan Boyer, a junior from Wallisville, placed fourth; Michaela Pinder, a sophomore from League City, placed fifth; Elizabeth Burgess, a junior from Graham, placed sixth; and Kyle Lambert, a sophomore from Sweetwater, placed ninth. Additional team members include Annalisa Clark, a sophomore from Las Cruces, N.M.; Zena Doty, a junior from La Plata, N.M.; Scotta Faulkenberry, a junior from Stephenville; Hallie Hutto, a sophomore from Hondo; Erin Klein, a sophomore from Littlefield, and Madison Langemeier, a sophomore from Marion.

The team is coached by graduate students Bo Hutto and Dan Crownover along with Mark Miller, professor and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Distinguished Chair in Meat Science. The team will compete at two more contests this spring including the Southwestern in Fort Worth and the Houston Livestock Show.

Meanwhile, the wool judging team outdistanced in-state rival Texas A&M by 11 points to capture the crown, winning both the placing and reasons divisions. Keeley Sears, a freshman from Peaster, led the way for Texas Tech by taking top honors in individual scoring followed by teammate Courtney Jasik, a freshman from Mertzon. Other members of the wool judging team are: Sydney Buckley, a freshman from Castle Rock, Colorado; Breanne Burner, a freshman from Grape Creek; Bradly Duvall, a freshman from Perryton; Rachel Everheart, a freshman from Bronte; Tommy Fletcher, a freshman from St. Hedwig; Tate Leatherwood, a freshman from Florence; Shannon O'Quinn, a freshman from League City; Ashleigh Pasqua, a freshman from Fort Davis; Cole Perkins, a freshman from Llano; Cole Rosenbaum, a freshman from Hondo; Lexie Schaefer, a freshman from Garden City; Kirsten Shaw, a freshman from Mason; Blayne Troxell, a freshman from Pampa.

The livestock judging team's fourth-place finish was led by Cory Edge, a junior from Rosedale, Ind., who ranked seventh. The team finished in the top five in each judging division, including cattle, swine, sheep and reasons. Other members of the livestock team are: Syann Foster, a junior from Lockney ; Colton Fritz, a junior from Fredericksburg; Lane Hale, a junior from Ozona; Reggie Halfmann, a junior from Garden City; DeShae Hanagan, a junior from Artesia, N.M.; Laramie Priest, a junior from Lorena; Colby Redifer, a junior from Blacksburg, Va.; Linay Runnels, a junior from Hondo; Taylor Shackelford, a junior from Prosper; Chase Vineyard, a junior from Stephenville; Tylee Williams, a junior from Rio Vista; Bryson Williams, a junior from Earth; Luke Ziegler, a junior from New Windsor, Md.

Written by George Watson

CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5653 or michael.orth@ttu.edu

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