February Competitive Teams Results

March 2, 2023

The department’s competitive teams are staying busy as the February contests wrap up. Good luck to the teams still competing in contests this semester.

Dairy Challenge Team

The Dairy Challenge Team competed at the Western Regional Dairy Challenge contest February 23-25, 2023, in Madera, California. This contest requires a team of students to evaluate a dairy operation based upon their reproduction, milk quality, nutrition, and general health. The goal of this evaluation is to find opportunities for the dairy producer to make more money. The team of students present their findings to a panel of judges. At the regional contest, each of the students were divided up into different teams with other universities. The results are as follows:

Griffin Matthys: 1st place in his room
McKenzie McGinniss: 1st place in her room
Allen Schwartz: 2nd place in his room
Emily Read: 3rd place in her room
Allison Hajny: 3rd place in her room
Haley Williams: 3rd place in her room

Horse Judging Team

The Aggies had a successful day at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Judging Contest, February 15 & 16, 2023. The team was the 1st and 3rd Overall High Teams! We also had five in the top ten overall individually. Greyson Philippovic was the High Individual Overall and won both a $100 check and $600 Shorty’s Hat Certificate. His teammate Kelsey Morgan was the Reserve High Individual Overall, Angelina Newbold was the 6th High Individual Overall, Rachel Kuhlman was the 8th High Individual Overall, and Reagan Hoelscher was the 9th High Individual Overall. The team was represented by members Cammy Jo Ezzell, Yoseph Hernandez, Reagan Hoelscher, Brooke Kiefer, Rachel Kuhlman, Kelsey Morgan, Angelina Newbold, Greyson Philippovic, Madison Strief and John Wofford. The NRCHA Team was coached by past 2022 team member and senior Kensi Parker, Assistant Coach Hannah McLochlin and Coach Sarah Schobert.

Livestock Judging Team

The Livestock Judging Team competed at the Forth Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest on Friday, February 3, 2023.

Team Results

3rd Overall
2nd Cattle
3rd Sheep/Goats
3rd Reasons
4th Hogs
4th Horses

Individual Results

Abby Johnson – 9th Overall, 8th Cattle, 8th Hogs, 10th Horses
Keaton Woods – 10th Overall, 3rd Sheep/Goats, 7th Cattle, 7th Hogs, 8th Reasons
Saige Ward – 2nd Hogs, 9th Reasons
John Reaves – 8th Sheep/Goats, 9th Horses, 10 Reasons
Kevin Jendrusch – 4th Alternates Division
Eleeza Waggoner – 7th Alternates Division

On February 25, the team competed in San Antonio before their final push to Houston.

Team Results:

3rd Overall
2nd Sheep
2nd Goats
3rd Reasons
3rd Cattle
3rd Hogs

Individual Results:

John Reaves – 2nd Overall, 2nd Cattle, 2nd Goats, 3rd Reasons, 3rd Sheep
Kevin Jendrusch – 10th Overall, 7th Cattle
Will Spicer – 4th Sheep, 9th Reasons
Abby Johnson – 5th Sheep
Mikala Grady – 8th Hogs
Saige Ward – 10th Sheep

Thank you to all the people who have opened up their operations for us to look at livestock and to those behind the scenes putting together these high-quality contests.

The team also enjoyed volunteering at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo 4-H and FFA youth livestock judging contests. Working with the show officials, the team helped facilitate a judging contest with 1,388 students from across the state of Texas.

Meat Judging Team

South Plains Meat Judging Contest

The 2023 Fightin’ Texas Aggie Meat Judging Team was named Champion Team at the South Plains Meat Judging Contest in Hereford, Texas, on February 11, 2023.

A special thanks to AMSA for coordinating this contest and Caviness Beef Packers for hosting the contest at their Hereford, Texas, plant. Also, a big thanks to Tyson, Cargill, Texas Tech, and West Texas A&M for giving our students great opportunities to practice on the way.

We had 2 in the Top 10 Individuals and 4 in the Top 10 Alternates, plus the High Individual Alternate.

Team Results:

1st Placings
1st Pork Judging
2nd Total Beef
2nd Specs
2nd Beef Grading
2nd Lamb Judging
3rd Beef Judging
3rd Reasons

Individual Results:

Kadie Graves- 2nd High Overall, tied for 1st Beef Grading, 4th Lamb Judging, 1st Specs
Shane Molitor- 7th Overall, 5th Beef Grading, 5th Placings
Kaitlyn Kotrla- 12th Overall, 1st Reasons, 4th Pork Judging, 5th Lamb Judging
Zach Hoelscher- 13th Overall

Top 10 Alternates:

Elise Stovall – 1st High Point Individual
Channing Pieniazek – 4th High Individual
Maycee Foussadier – 5th High Individual
Casey Murphy – 7th High Individual

Other team members include Emily Mutchler, Kayce Lopez (11th), Patrick Kessler, Brittley Bowers, Karlie Lowe, & Cody Sells (12th). The team is coached by Trent Stolowski, assistant coach Lauren Lee, and coordinated by Jennifer Wyle.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The 2023 FTAMJT concluded the spring judging season on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The team finished 4th in a really tight contest. Individually, students shined across the divisions.

A special thanks to STX Beef for allowing us to practice in their Corpus Christi plant, Martin Preferred for hosting the contest, and Sara Howard for feeding the team a good dinner on the road. Also, thanks again to the Stovalls for hosting us to dinner Saturday after the contest.

Team Results:

4th overall
2nd Specs (perfect 400 points)
3rd Lamb
4th Pork
4th Grading
4th Reasons

Individuals

Channing Pieniazek – 8th overall, 1st placings, 8th reasons, 8th beef, 3rd pork
Kaitlyn Kotrla – 5th overall, 6th beef, 7th reasons
Shane Molitor – 7th overall, 7th specs, 8th lamb
Casey Murphy – 8th total beef, 10th beef grading
Kadie Graves – 10th lamb
Zach Hoelscher – 9th specs

Other team members include: Brittley Bowers, Kayce Lopez, Elise Stovall, Cody Sells, Karlie Lowe, Maycee Foussadier, Emily Mutchler, and Patrick Kessler. The team is coached by Trent Stolowski. The team will enjoy their beak and spend time with 4-H and FFA meat judgers. We look forward to seeing what this group will do in the fall!

Meat Animal Evaluation Team

The Meat Animal Evaluation Team made a quick trip to Purdue University to compete in the North Central Meat Animal Evaluation Contest February 17-18, 2023.

Team 2nd overall
Gage Walsh 3rd high individual
Nathan Barrett 4th high individual
1st team in Meats Division
Abby Tack – High Individual Meats

Their next contest is in mid-March in Canyon, TX. Thank you to coaches Ian Lovell and Tanner Wright for leading this team. Team members include: Gage Walsh, Nathan Barrett, Bailey Lamb, Abby Tack, Molly Hicks, Cassie Brown and Morgan McKinzie.

Rodeo Team

The Aggie Rodeo Team participated in the Texas A&M-Commerce college rodeo in early February. The women’s team won first and is currently in first place for the year, with four more rodeos to go. The men’s team was fifth and is currently in third place for the year. The top two men’s and women’s qualify for the College National Finals in Casper, WY.

The Rodeo Team will host their Intercollegiate Rodeo March 10-11 at the Brazos County Expo Center in Bryan, Texas. More information below.