Strong Start; Texas Tech meat, livestock judging teams open fall with victories
The Texas Tech University meat and livestock judging teams in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources opened the fall competition season with a pair of victories, including the State Fair of Texas judging contest.
The meat judging team captured first place at the American Meat Sciences Association Eastern National Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest on Oct. 3 in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. Texas Tech outscored Colorado State University, winning by 59 points with a total of 4,115. Texas A&M University was third with 4,045 points.
Clay Bendele, a junior from Hondo, captured overall individual top honors, finishing first with a total of 1,054 points. Erin Beyer, a junior from Brookshire, finished fourth with 1,025 points while Sean Morrow, a junior from Nolan, and Darby Gonzales, a junior from Hondo, rounded out the top 10 with 1,022 and 1,014 points, respectively.
Texas Tech took first place in several categories, including beef judging, overall beef, lamb judging, specifications and total placing. Texas Tech also took third in beef grading and total reasons/questions and fourth in pork judging.
Other members of the meat judging team include:
- Morgan Boyer, a senior from Wallisville
- Elizabeth Burges, a senior from Graham
- Annalisa Clark, a junior from Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Zena Doty, a senior from La Plata, New Mexico
- Scotta Faulkenberry, a senior from Stephenville
- Landon French, a senior from Burleson
- Melani Howell, a junior from Seymour
- Hallie Hutto, a junior from Hondo
- Erin Klein, a junior from Littlefield
- Kyle Lambert, a junior from Sweetwater
- Madison Langemeier, a junior from Marion
- Michaela Pinder, a junior from League City
- Cody Shannon, a senior from Royse City
Professor Mark Miller, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Distinguished Chair in Meat Sciences, coaches the team. Graduate students Bo Hutto and Dan Crownover assist.
Separately, the Texas Tech livestock judging team opened the fall season Monday with a dominating performance at the State Fair of Texas Collegiate Judging Contest, winning three of the four categories to run away from Oklahoma State University, winning by 62 points with a total of 4,708. Arkansas finished third with 4,626 points and West Texas A&M took fourth with 4,577 points.
Texas Tech captured first place in reasons with 1,856 points, sheep/goat with 1,413 points and swine with 1,626 points and finished second in cattle with 1,669 points. Individually, Texas Tech had three of the top four finishers. Lane Hale, a senior from Ozona, finished second with 952 points, just one point shy of first place. Bryson Williams, a senior from Earth, was third with 946 points followed in fourth place by Colby Redifer, a senior from Blacksburg, Virginia. Tylee Williams, a senior from Rio Vista, was sixth (944 points) and Laramie Priest, a senior from Lorena, finished ninth (939 points).
Other members of the livestock judging team include:
- Syann Foster, a senior from Lockney
- Colton Fritz, a senior from Fredericksburg
- DeShae Hanagan, a senior from Artesia, New Mexico
- Linay Runnels, a senior from Hondo
- Taylor Shackelford, a senior from Prosper
- Luke Ziegler, a senior from New Windsor, Maryland
Ryan Rathmann, an associate professor and the John W. and Doris Jones Professorship in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, coaches the team. Graduate student Kylan Carson is the assistant coach. The livestock judging team continued its fall season on Friday (Oct. 9), competing at the Tulsa State Fair in Oklahoma. The meat judging team is back in action Oct. 18 at the American Royal Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in Omaha, Nebraska.
Written by George Watson
CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2805 or michael.orth@ttu.edu
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Davis College NewsCenter
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