The competitive team program at Texas A&M University is rich in tradition, attracting students from across the nation. The program can be traced to the early 1900s with the first Texas A&M University Livestock Judging Team, and has achieved more than 30 national championships. By competing on these teams, students acquire work ethic, public speaking capabilities, leadership development, and critical thinking skills.

Here’s a look at what some of our teams have been up to this summer.

Rodeo Team

Aggie Women's Rodeo Team

The Texas Aggie Women’s Rodeo Team competed at the 2022 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, June 12-18, 2022. Emma Smith and Victoria Procter did good in the barrel racing event.  They both made it back to the finals on Saturday night.  Victoria ended up sixth in the nation and Emma was seventh.  Madalyn Richards came back to the finals in the 4th position in the breakaway roping, but had a little hard luck and ended up ninth in the nation.  Overall the Women’s team ended up eighth out of 40 teams competing.

Livestock Judging Team

Livestock Judging Team

The Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team hosted 260 youth participants from 17 different states during two sessions of Livestock Judging Camp during June. Camp was hosted at Louis Pearce Pavilion and the campers spent the first two days in sessions about evaluating all four species of livestock along with oral reasons. The campers also got to spend an evening at Big Shots Golf in Bryan and do a tour of Kyle Field. The final day of camp consisted of a contest for the campers to put their skills on display. Caleb Boardman (Lecturer and Livestock Judging Team Coordinator) and Landon Eldridge (Graduate Assistant) led the camp along with 25 members from the 2021, 2022 and 2023 teams. Camp was also made possible due to the generous sponsorship from the following: Anipro Xtraformance Nutrition, Westway Feed Products, Livestockjudging.com, Trademark Genetics, Bovine Elite, Thomas Charolais, Lazy 3 Cattle Co., and J. Cody’s Barbeque.

Academic Quadrathlon Team

Academic Quadrathlon Team members

The TAMU Academic Quadrathlon Team won Reserve Championship at the 2022 ASAS National Academic Quadrathlon Contest held in Stillwater/Oklahoma City, OK from 6/24-6/27, 2022. The team was placed first in the Quiz Bowl competition, first in the written examination, and second and fourth in the lab practicum and oral presentation sections respectively. The 2022 TAMU team consists of Shane Flanagan, Alyson Fontenot, Jack Detten, and Dylan Desosa, and is advised by Dr. Sushil Paudyal.

Horse Judging Team

The Horse Judging Team

The 2022 Texas A&M Horse Judging Camp ran on June 3, 4 and 5. The camp this year hosted 75 attendants from around the country, including Texas, Arkansas, Florida and Maryland. Campers spent time with lead clinicians such as Extension Agents, Dr. Zoller and Dr. Huseman. They also spent a large amount of time with current and past Texas A&M Horse Judging Team Members, as well as Coach Sarah Schobert and Assistant Coach Hannah McLochlin. Attendees learned on both live horses and national and international level video footage taken from the AQHA World Show. Events covered over the clinic included: halter, western pleasure, hunter under saddle, horsemanship, hunter hack, ranch riding, working cow horse, reining and reasons. The TAMU Horse Judging Program was also excited to pinpoint and work with several high excelling youth students as future recruits to the program! The TAMU Equine Program looks forward to next year’s camp!

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