HOUSTON — The Texas A&M University Livestock Judging Team closed out the 2012 spring competition season with a pair of first place wins from the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The Aggies competed in San Antonio on Feb. 25 and came out ahead of Texas Tech University, Oklahoma State University, West Texas A&M University and Kansas State University, rounding out the top five.
In team competition, Texas A&M won high team in reasons, beef cattle and goats, and second high in hogs and sheep. Individually, the Aggies secured six of the top 13 high awards including Graham Blagg, fourth; Brent Cromwell, fifth; Shelly Sutton, seventh; Kassidi Click, ninth; Conner Newsom, 11th; and Darin Peters, 13th.
A few weeks later, Texas A&M edged out Oklahoma State University for first place in Houston on March 12.
Western Illinois University, Texas Tech University and Iowa State University finished third, fourth and fifth. Texas A&M won high team in reasons and second place team in cattle. Overall individual honors went to Conner Newsom who finished first place high; Brent Cromwell, ninth; and Jonathan Chachere, fourth in the alternate division.
“Winning back to back in San Antonio and Houston was an exciting way to close out this season,” said Jake Franke, team coordinator and coach. “This junior team boasted four first place finishes this spring and I am very encouraged and looking forward to the fall contests.”
Team members are Graham Blagg, Grass Valley, Calif.; Jonathan Chachere, Dayton; Conner Newsom, Giddings; Shelly Sutton, Sinton; Brent Cromwell, San Angelo; Tanner Wieghat, Wharton; Wesley Kraintz, Winters, Calif.; Darin Peters, Stephenville; Lane Foster, Wylie; Kassadi Click, Muldrow, Okla.; Brad Mendes, Modesto, Calif.; Kyle Phillips, Vidor; Megan Webb, Burlington, W. Va.; Stephanie Mazurkiewicz, Bryan; Cimmaron Osburn, Logan, N.M.; and Garrett Cline, Meridian.
Earlier this year, the Livestock Judging Team won first at the Griswold Cattle Company Contest and the National Western Stock Show. They finished third place at the Fort Worth Stock Show.
In addition to Franke, the team is coached by Jake Thorne and Cassidy Hayes.
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