Three competitive teams from the Department of Animal Science in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recently competed in the historic National Western Stock Show, NWSS, in Denver, Colorado.
The 2023 meat and wool judging teams brought home reserve champion wins in their respective contests, while the livestock team placed fourth in the overall contest and reserve in the carload contest.
However, competing on the teams is about more than winning contests, said Andy Herring, Ph.D., interim head of the Department of Animal Science, Bryan-College Station.
Herring said the hours spent practicing for judging contests outside the classroom teaches students leadership, decision-making and time management skills, and more, all of which translates into success in their future careers.
“Participating in our judging teams provides additional learning and development opportunities that are unique and that have lifelong benefits to the students,” he said. “The department is very proud of these students for their time and mental commitments made toward the pursuit of excellence, and how they represent our department, college and university.”
Meat judging team
The meat judging team started the year off strong by bringing home the reserve champion team title at their first contest of the year. The team placed first in total beef and total placings and second in beef grading, lamb judging and beef judging.
“This is a talented and dedicated group of students,” said Jennifer Wyle, meat judging team coordinator, Bryan-College Station. “I can’t wait to see what this amazing group of students will accomplish.”
Texas A&M individual placings were:
- Kadie Graves, Lubbock, fifth overall.
- Shane Molitor, Hondo, fourth lamb judging.
- Zach Hoelscher, Lorena, fifth lamb judging.
Texas A&M individual placings, alternate division:
- Kaitlyn Kotrla, College Station, first overall.
- Elise Stovall, Katy, second overall.
- Patrick Kessler, LaVernia, fifth overall.
- Maycee Foussadier, Spring, eighth overall.
Other team members include: Brittley Bowers, Fredericksburg; Kayce Lopez, Teague; Karlie Lowe, Lindale; Casey Murphy, San Marcos; Emily Mutchler, Odem; Channing Pieniazek, Krum; and Cody Sells, Taylor.
The team is coached by graduate students Trent Stolowski, of St. Hedwig, and Lauren Lee, of Hamilton.
The American Meat Science Association coordinated the meat judging contest for the NWSS and JBS Foods hosted the contest at their Greeley, Colorado, plant.
The team competes in eight contests throughout the year. Next, they will travel to the Southwestern Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in conjunction with the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Wool judging team
Texas A&M entered two wool judging teams into the NWSS contest, resulting in the first team being named reserve champion and the second team placing sixth overall. Additionally, the teams were second and third in reasons and also named the champion and reserve champion teams in the hand spinning division.
“I am extremely proud of the team and coaches for starting off this season with huge success,” said Shawn Ramsey, Ph.D., professor and assistant department head in the Department of Animal Science, Bryan-College Station. “They have logged countless hours and thousands of miles preparing and traveling to these contests representing the university and department in competition against the other land grant universities.”
Texas A&M individual placings were:
- Charlee Proctor, Princeton, second overall.
Texas A&M individual placings, alternate division:
- Brianna Bongard, Middletown, Maryland, first overall.
- Megan Downie, College Station, second overall.
- Nathan Kerth, College Station, fifth overall.
- Addie Derry, Medina, sixth overall.
- Garrett Kern, Fields Store, seventh overall.
- Cooper Sutton, Gatesville, eighth overall.
Other team members include: Kyla Beck, Seguin; Ally Brooks, Henderson; Carson Carter, Iola; Anna Cox, Belton; Maggie DeLaCerda, Denton; Kodi Davis, Sonora; Rance Ellis, Henderson; Connor Pence, Mereta; Trinity Reagan, Katy; Landon Southern, Sinton; and Madilyn Vick, Jourdanton.
The team is coached by animal science graduate student, Carson Millican, of Seminole.
The team competes in six contests throughout their season, with the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo Wool Judging Contest, Rapid City, South Dakota, up next.
Livestock judging team
The livestock judging contest at the NWSS is broken into two individual contests: the Collegiate Livestock Contest and the Carload Contest. The Texas A&M team competed in both, placing fourth overall, third in reasons, third in swine, fourth in sheep and fifth in cattle and goats in the Collegiate Livestock Contest and reserve champion in the Carload Contest.
According to Caleb Boardman, livestock judging team coordinator, Bryan-College Station, the carload contest is unique to Denver. It is a cattle-only contest, and rather than a standard class of four animals, the students judge four pens of three animals.
They evaluate the quality, consistency and uniformity of both the individual animals and the pen of three as a whole. This is a historical contest based on the early days of “carloads,” a railroad car of cattle from one producer, being shown at the NWSS. This contest gives students a chance to learn about that side of the industry, Boardman said.
“This team has already shown rapid improvement, and we are excited about the year to come,” he said. “While we are never satisfied with not finishing on top, if they will continue to work as hard and be as coachable as they have been so far, they will have loads of success this season.”
Texas A&M individual placings, livestock contest, were:
- Keaton Woods, Tipton, Indiana, sixth overall, fifth in sheep and goats, seventh in reasons.
- William Spicer, Magnolia, first in swine.
- John Reaves, Spring, 10th in reasons.
Texas A&M individual placings, carload contest:
- Eleeza Waggoner, Johnstown, Colorado, second overall.
Other team members include: Austin Maners, Santa Rosa, California; Aspen Martin, Mason; Saige Ward, Laramie, Wyoming; Molly Hicks, Joshua; Mikaela Terry, Bryan; Kevin Jendrusch, Falls City; Fritz Anton, Lockhart; Kaitlyn Cloud, Carthage, Missouri; Mikala Grady, Grandview; Abi Hooper, Joaquin; and Abby Johnson, Hermitage, Arkansas.
The team is coached by animal science graduate students, Kyle Despain, of Laramie, Wyoming, and Katie Kempen, of San Antonio.
The livestock judging team competes in 11-13 contests each year, split between the spring and fall semesters. The team will next compete at the Sioux Empire Livestock Show in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
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