Livestock Judging Team wins champion, reserve champion

DENVER — The Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team brought home the championship from the National Western Stock Show collegiate judging contest and won reserve champion in the Carload Contest held Jan. 12 and 13 in Denver, Colo.

Texas A&M beat second place Oklahoma State University by a narrow margin, with Iowa State University, Texas Tech University and West Texas A&M University rounding out the top five.

In team competition, the Aggies secured high team in sheep and goats, and second high team in cattle and hogs. In individual competition Texas A&M’s Brent Cromwell, from San Angelo, won second high overall; Shelly Sutton, from Sinton, finished ninth high overall; and Conner Newsom, from Giddings, was 10th high.

“I am extremely proud of how hard our entire team worked through winter workout, leading up to Denver,” said Jake Franke, team coordinator and coach. “They were relentless in their approach, and through hard work and pushing one another, they came out victorious at the National Western.”

Also on the team are Kassidi Click from Muldrow, Okla., Megan Webb from Burlington, WV., Stephanie Mazurkiewicz from Bryan, Tanner Wieghat from Wharton, Darin Peters from Stephenville, Cimmaron Osborn from Logan, NM., Garrett Cline from Meridian, Kyle Phillips from Vidor, Jonathan Chachere from Dayton, Brad Mendes from Modesto, Calif., Graham Blagg from Grass Valley, Calif., Wes Kraintz from Winters, Calif., and Lane Foster from Wylie.

The team is coached by Franke and Jacob Thorne.

In the Carload Contest, Texas A&M finished behind first place Oklahoma State University, with Colorado State University, Kansas State University and University of Illinois finishing third, fourth and fifth. Wes Kraintz won fourth high individual overall.

“This was a great way to kick-off the season but there is still a lot of work to be done in order to remain successful in 2012. We also are grateful to the faculty and staff within the Department of Animal Science for their support of our judging programs,” Franke said.

The team competes next at the Fort Worth Stock Show on February 3.

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Wool Judging Team brings home reserve champion, fourth

DENVER – The Texas A&M Wool Judging Team secured both reserve champion and fourth place finishes at the National Western Stock Show wool judging contest held Jan. 13.

South Dakota State University finished first place with Texas Tech University in third.

Texas A&M’s Hunter Walters from Tyler finished second high overall in individual competition. Amelia Tanner from Georgetown won third and Tasha Womack from San Antonio placed fifth high overall.

Other team members include John Long from Lubbock, Daniel Haverlah from San Antonio, Tyler Coufal from Troy, Kyle Davenport from Harper, Kandace Davenport from Harper, Jordan Manor from Haper, Sydney Reese from Pleasant Grove, Calif., Kaysi Dean from Eula, and Kayley Wall from Boerne. All team members are freshman animal science majors.

Team coordinator is Dr. Shawn Ramsey, coach is Kim Hardan and assistant coaches are Jacob Brown, Katie Moore and Dillon Garr.

The team competes next at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition on February 11.

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Meat Judging Team starts season with third place win

DENVER — The Texas A&M Meat Judging Team won third place at the National Western Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest held Jan. 15 at JBS USA, Inc., in Greeley, Colo. The awards were presented at the National Western Stock Show in Denver.

Texas Tech University and Oklahoma State University finished first and second, followed by Angelo State University and Kansas State University in fourth and fifth.

Texas A&M won high team in specifications and pork judging and third high team in reasons.

Trey Brooks, a junior animal science major from Llano, finished eighth high individual overall and Erica Holcomb, a junior animal science major from San Antonio, won ninth. In the alternates contest, Lauren Thompson, a junior animal science major from Grandview, won eighth high and Whitley James, a sophomore animal science major from Goerge West, ninth.

Team members also include Kevin Doonan, a sophomore animal science major from Caldwell; Preston Gates, a sophomore animal science and poultry science double major from Sealy; Ty Klepac, a junior animal science major from George West; Morgan Merdian, a sophomore animal science major from Anderson; Arquimides Reyes, a sophomore animal science major from Austin; Hope Voegele, a sophomore animal science major from Waco; Lexus Weinheimer, a sophomore animal science major from Fredricksburg; and Lance Wheeler, a sophomore animal science major from Dallas.

Dr. Davey Griffin is team coordinator. Coaches are Meagan Igo and Melanie Moore.

The Meat Judging Team competes next at the Iowa State University Meat Evaluation Contest on Feb. 25.

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