A Good Run; Texas Tech livestock, wool judging teams wrap up spring season
The Texas Tech livestock and wool judging teams wrapped up a strong spring season with solid performances at the Houston and San Antonio stock shows. The livestock team took first place at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest on March 14. Texas Tech outpaced rivals Oklahoma State University (second) and Kansas State University (fourth) as well as Texas A&M University (third).
"We had a very strong spring winning both Fort Worth and Houston," said Ryan Rathmann, the team's coach and an associate professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. "I am extremely proud of the young men and women on the team. They have worked extremely hard and represented Texas Tech with class."
Individually, Zane Webster, a junior from San Simon, Arizona, led four Texas Tech competitors who finished in the top 10. Webster took second with 939 points; followed by Jonathan Nieman, a junior from New Home, in third (936); Chama Martin, a junior from Mason, in fourth (933); and Brody Halfmann, a junior from Garden City, in seventh (927).
Halfmann also took first place in cattle judging while Nieman captured top honors in swine judging.
The livestock team also had a strong showing at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Collegiate Livestock Contest, coming in third with 4,603 points.
Gabe Jennings, a junior from Fredonia, led the Texas Tech contingent with a first-place finish, racking up 952 points and followed closely by Martin in second place with 949. Maclaine Shults, a junior from Meeker, Colorado, finished seventh with 945 points.
Webster also finished first in goat judging, and Jennings took first in swine.
Other members of the livestock judging team are:
- Dakota Crissman, a junior from Bells
- L.J. Young, a junior from Pendleton, Indiana
- Austin Adams, a junior from Hedley
The livestock team is assisted by doctoral student Jon DeClerck.
"We have had a pretty good run in Texas contests winning 10 out of the last 11 contests over the last several years," Rathmann said. "Specifically we have won Houston the last four consecutive years and five out of the last six. I look forward to the fall and fully expect them to be in the hunt for a national championship."
The Texas Tech Wool Judging team also had a strong showing in the spring, winning two of the three contests in which they competed.
The wool team finished the semester with five of its eight team members being named All-American,including Brooke Blum, a freshman from Howe; Ivie-Kate Mynatt, a freshman from Eldorado; April Molitor, a freshman from Hondo; Clay Braden, a freshman from Wall; and Ben Mills, a freshman from Shallowater.
Other team members include:
- Kaylee Martin, a freshman from Roscoe
- Dean Chapman, a freshman from Sweetwater
- Cole Bradford, a freshman from Shallowater
- DeLaney Hanagan, a freshman from Artesia, New Mexico
- Sam Spradlin, a freshman from Granbury
- Ryder Mata, a freshman from Seminole
- Matthew Huston, a sophomore from Gainesville
- Kyle Mahagan, a sophomore from Plainview
Sam Jackson, an associate professor in the Texas Tech University Department of Animal and Food Sciences, serves as the wool judging team's adviser.
The team is coached by graduate student Dan Crownover from Italy; Colton Fritz, a senior from Fredericksburg; Gabe Jennings, a junior from Fredonia; Bryce Winfrey, a junior from Seminole; and Breanne Burner, a sophomore from Grape Creek.
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
0416NM16 / For a full text of the story produced by TTU Communications and Marketing, click http://today.ttu.edu/posts/2016/04/livestock-wool-judging-wrapup
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