Texas Tech's Wool Judging Team, which won its fourth wool judging national championship in 2021, opened its season at the 7220 Wool Invitational on Jan. 11. Hosted by the University of Wyoming, Texas Tech Black, one of two teams the university entered in the event, claimed the overall team title, outpacing the University of Wyoming Gold team and two teams from Texas A&M University for the top spot. Texas Tech's other team, Texas Tech Red, finished fifth overall.

Texas Tech Black finished as the highest-scoring team in the rail category, while earning second in both placing and reasoning. Texas Tech also placed four individuals in the top 10, with Sheldon Luedke from Hondo taking first overall, Anna Wyle from Boerne finishing second, Kyle Vahlenkamp from Miles finishing fifth and Nikki Keaton from Wolfforth coming in 10th.

Texas Tech followed up the competition in Wyoming by traveling to Denver for the National Western Stock Show on Jan. 13. In Denver, Texas Tech Black once again proved to be the standout team, taking the high-point team title while finishing first in the reasons category, second in placing and third in rail. Texas Tech's Red had another strong showing as well, placing fifth overall.

“I'm pleased with the effort and commitment of our students and coaches on the 2022 Texas Tech Wool Judging Team,” said Sam Jackson, a professor in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences and faculty supervisor for the Wool Judging Team. “The team win and strong individual performances at the National Western contest is a reflection of their talent level and desire to be successful in collegiate competition.”

Wyle finished first overall, while Vahlenhamp produced a sixth-place finish and Luedeke came in seventh.

Texas Tech has two more competitions this season, with the team heading to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in February before rounding out its schedule at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in March. The team is coached by agricultural education graduate student Emily Reiley and animal science undergraduate student Kade Miller.

Other members of the Wool Judging Team are:

• Reese Richardson from Robstown
• Cole Levien from Junction
• Hayden Glass from Tatum, New Mexico
• Erin Catching from Howe

CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu

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