The Livestock Arena was packed Friday, September 13th, after the Department of Animal & Food Sciences welcomed over 200 people to gather and celebrate past, present, and future members of the competitive teams.
The second annual Competitive Teams Reunion event allowed alumni and current members to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the competitive teams together. At the reunion, the new National Championship banners were unveiled, honoring the hard work and dedication of the talented competitors.
This event offered appearances from the Masked Rider, Texas Tech Cheer Team, Raider Red, along with live music, a delicious meal served by Raider Red Meats, and a chance for members to reminisce on the past.
“I loved getting to see former students who either judged for my husband and I, or who we judged alongside,” said Wendy Woerner, former Wool Judging Coach and judging team member. “It really is all about family, so just being together, eating, visiting, and catching up was the best part.”
Many past members were able to walk down memory lane after they were reunited with some of their best friends from college. Some expressed how big of an influence the Competitive Teams have made in their life, and others credit the teams to where they are today.
“Being a part of that team fueled my passion for success and propelled me to becoming a teacher where I have trained lots of teams of all contests to be successful,” said Cory Rains, 2004 Meat Judging Team member and Ag Science Teacher at Fredericksburg ISD. “The skill set I learned from my coaches has continued to be used by me to this day.”
Former Wool, Meat, Horse and Livestock Judging Team member, Greg Clark, who is now an Ag Science Teacher at Joshua High School was also at the event. He expressed how his time as an undergraduate at Davis College set him up to be successful.
“The classes I took in the agricultural education department set me up on how to teach, but my coursework from the animal and food science department taught me what to teach.”
The Department of Animal & Food Sciences is looking forward to seeing the competitive teams reunite next year, and hope to unveil more National Championship banners.
CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Professor and Chair, Department of Animal & Food Sciences, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-3517 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu
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