The Texas Tech meat judging team continued its strong start to the spring season, capturing its second straight victory of the semester by taking first place at the Southwestern Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest Sunday (Jan. 31) in Fort Worth.

The team outpaced Big 12 Conference rival Oklahoma State University with 4,021 points. OSU was second with 4,002 points, followed by Colorado State University (3,989), Texas A&M University (3,894) and Kansas State University (3,851).

As a team, Texas Tech also finished first in lamb judging, pork judging and reasons/questions, second in beef grading and third in overall beef and specifications.

Cole Perkins, a sophomore from Llano, led Texas Tech by finishing in the top three in four individual categories to finish third overall with 1,022 points, just four points behind teammate and second-place finisher Kyle Schwartz, a sophomore from San Angelo. Perkins finished third in beef grading, pork judging, specifications and reasons/questions while Schwartz won the reasons/questions category, finished second in pork judging, third in lamb judging and fourth in beef judging.

Tommy Fletchers, a sophomore from LaVernia, finished sixth overall on the strength of a third-place finish in pork judging and a fourth-place finish in reasons/questions. Chelsi Vineyard, a sophomore from Bridgeport, won the lamb judging category.

Other members of the meat judging team are:" Lane Harrington, a junior from Waxahachie" Augustus Holbein, a junior from Hebbronville" Jessica Humphrey, a junior from Okeechobee, Florida" Kiersten Scott, a junior from Scott City, Kansas" Katlynn Freeman, a sophomore from Panhandle" Shannon O'Quinn, a sophomore from Galveston" Keeley Sears, a sophomore from Weatherford" Courtney Jasik, a junior from Mertzon" Blayne Troxell, a sophomore from Pampa" Boyd Henry, a sophomore from San Angelo" Megan Writt, a sophomore from Spring" Kyle Caldwell, a sophomore from Midlothian

The meat judging team is coached by professor Mark Miller and assisted by instructor Loni Lucherk and graduate assistants Nick Hardcastle and Mallorie Phelps.

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

0205NM16 / For the full text of the story produced by TTU Communications and Marketing, click http://today.ttu.edu/posts/2016/02/meat-judging-team-wins-second-competition