AggieFest 2024 features judging clinics, contests and leadership development events

The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is hosting its annual AggieFest event on Nov. 2 in Bryan-College Station. 

The event, which is open to Texas A&M, FFA and 4-H students, will be held at various locations, including the Texas A&M RELLIS campus, and is expected to draw more than 1,000 participants. 

Individuals will have the opportunity to participate in various leadership development events, LDEs, sponsored by the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. Additionally, the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Poultry Science will host judging contests and clinics. 

Registration for the judging events is available at https://tx.ag/Judging. Late registration and a list of available LDEs is available at https://tx.ag/LDEs.

Animal Science events

The Department of Animal Science will host two judging contests — meat and livestock — and two judging clinics — horse and wool. Each event costs $20 per person. Late registration, which runs from Oct. 26-31, is $25. 

• Horse judging will take place at the Thomas G. Hildebrand DVM ’56 Equine Complex, 3240 F&B Road, College Station. The Texas A&M Horse Judging Team will provide an educational horse judging workshop covering English, western and halter classes. There will be live classes as well as reasons format and presentations. For more information, contact Sarah Schobert, horse judging team coach, at [email protected]. 
• Livestock judging will be held at the Louis Pearce Pavillion, 555 George Bush Drive West, College Station. The Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team will host a competitive contest for FFA and 4-H students ages 8 and up. Participants will compete in eight classes as well as in a questions division. Awards will be given to the top competitors in each age and species division. For more information, contact Kyle Despain, livestock judging team coach, at [email protected]. 
• Meat judging will be held at the Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center, 488 Olsen Blvd., College Station. The Texas A&M Meat Judging Team will hold a competitive contest for FFA and 4-H students. For more information contact Jennifer Wyle, meat judging coordinator, at [email protected].
• Wool judging will take place at the Louis Pearce Pavillion. This clinic is hosted by the Texas A&M Wool Judging team. For more information, contact Shawn Ramsey, Ph.D., wool judging coordinator, at [email protected]. 

Poultry Science event

The Department of Poultry Science and the Texas A&M Collegiate Poultry Judging Team will hold a poultry judging clinic. The cost is $20 before Oct. 26 and $25 after. Both teams and coaches must register. 

The self-guided clinic with assistance from the poultry team, begins at 9 a.m., and will be held at the Texas A&M Poultry Science Research, Teaching and Extension Center, 1202 Harvey Mitchell Parkway South, College Station. 

For more information, contact Allyson Spears, youth program development and recruitment coordinator, at [email protected], or Brett Meisinger, judging coach, at [email protected]. 

Leadership Development Events

The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications is offering multiple leadership development events. Late registration is available until Nov. 1. The cost is $60 per person for all events except Greenhand and Senior Quiz, which are $30.

The LDE contests, which include topics such as agricultural advocacy, agriculture public relations and radio broadcasting, job interview skills and Spanish Creed-speaking, will be held at the RELLIS campus, 3100 Texas State Highway 47, Bryan.

For more information, contact Randy Lund, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, Bryan-College Station at [email protected].