Left, Jenny Jones, David Bayona, Katherine Salom, Wade Hanson, Katie Garrett, Candace Moeller, Emery Kunze, Bradley Belota, Stormy Joplin, Sara Arsenault, Ray Rodriguez, Crystal Waters, Matt Carrigan, Courtney Boykin and Baylee Bessire.

OMAHA – A trip to Omaha, Neb., proved successful for the Texas A&M Meat Judging Team when they secured the Reserve Champion title at the American Royal Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest held Oct. 5.

The team clenched the second place finish by earning first in placings and beef judging, second in specifications, third in reasons, and fourth in lamb and pork judging.

Team members are animal science majors Sara Arsenault from Cameron Park, Calif.; David Bayona from San Antonio; Bradley Belota from Cypress; Baylee Bessire from Muleshoe; Courtney Boykin from Pflugerville; Matthew Carrigan from Millsap; Katie Garrett from Marshall; Wade Hanson from Clifton; Jenny Jones from Nemo; Stormy Joplin from Slaton; Emery Kunze from LaCoste; Candace Moeller from Cuero; Raymundo Rodriguez from Brookshire; and Katherine Salom from Baytown.

Animal science graduate student Crystal Waters from Ft. Bragg, Calif., heads the team as coach and Dr. Davey Griffin, professor and Extension meat specialist, is the team coordinator.

In individual competition, Kunze won first place high individual, followed by Belota in ninth. In the alternate contest, Bessire was second; Boykin, fifth; and Bayona, tenth.

Texas A&M trailed contest winner Colorado State University by eight points and topped their closest competition Texas Tech University by 19 points, followed by Oklahoma State University and Kansas State University, rounding out the top five teams.