July Competitive Teams Update

Academic Quadrathlon Team

Congratulations to our Academic Quadrathlon Team on finishing second place overall at the National Academic Quadrathlon competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team was first in the quiz bowl contest and the lab practicum and placed second in the oral presentation and written examination, securing second place overall. Earlier this year, the team qualified for the national contest by winning the regional contest in North Carolina. Read about their road to regionals here on AgriLife Today. We are proud of all their hard work to get this far!

The team is coordinated by Dr. Sushil Paudyal. Team members include: 

• Abigail Borden
• Emily Ecord
• Grace Parks
• Avery Flanagan

Horse Judging Team

The Texas A&M University Horse Judging Program hosted a clinic in Virginia this summer. We met some excited and talented youth and coaches! We hope we left them motivated and ready to level up in their skills. Special thanks to NHJTCA Vice President Tim McLochlin for coming and spreading the good news of competitive judging. Also, none of this would have been possible without Virginia Tech hosts Katherine Carter and Jennifer Redifer. They were wonderful to work with. Thank you to our clinicians, assistant coach Hannah McLochlin and senior Megan Miller. Coach Sarah Schobert also loved seeing past coaches and teammates, Celeste Crisman, Yvonne Miller, and Hannah McDonald. Until next time Virginia! Gig ‘Em!

Livestock Judging Team

The Livestock Judging Team hosted an inaugural dinner and auction fundraising event, The Initiative, on July 22. The event was held at the Stella hotel and included a rib-eye steak dinner (steaks were donated by Nolan Ryan Brands), live music and a silent and live auction. All proceeds from the event will be used for scholarships and team travel.

“For the first year, we couldn’t be happier with the amount of support this event received, and truly want to thank every donor, buyer and person that came to the event,” said team coordinator Caleb Boardman.

The event was alumni driven, with a large part of the planning and organization being executed by former team members to support the current team. “The event grossed right at 100,000, and that is going to help us tremendously with recruiting, travel and making sure we are in a position to be successful,” said Boardman.

Plans are already underway for a similar event during the summer of 2024, so if you were unable to attend this year, be on the lookout for information coming out this fall about next summer’s event.

Meat Judging Team

Meat Judging Camp

The Texas A&M Meat Judging Team hosted the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Meat Judging Camp July 27-29 at the Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center in College Station. We welcomed 85 campers from 4 states who were engaged in learning about beef grading, retail cut identification, and evaluation of beef, lamb and pork carcasses and wholesale cuts. Members of the 2020, ’22, ’23,’24, and ’25 Aggie Meat Judging Teams, as well as faculty and staff created a fun, comprehensive learning experience for the campers.

We are grateful for the sponsors that support Aggie Meat Judging and for all the connections we are able to make with these great students that attend camp!

Meat Judging Team Summer Grading Trip

The 2023 Fightin’ Texas Aggie Meat Judging Team hit the road August 15 for their summer grading trip to Amarillo. The fourteen-member team is preparing for the fall judging season that kicks off September 23 at the Eastern National in Wyalusing, PA.