The Texas Tech University Department of Animal and Food Sciences Livestock Judging Team in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources dominated the competition at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Intercollegiate Livestock Show Saturday [February 25].

Texas Tech easily outdistanced second-place Texas A&M by 97 points, 4,638 to 4,541, and finished well ahead of third-place Oklahoma State’s 4,519 points. The University of Wyoming and Cal State University-Chico rounded out the top five.

“I’m immensely proud of our students,” Livestock Judging Team head coach Jon DeClerck said. “We experienced a heartbreaking, two-point defeat at the National Western in Denver, but our team never lost its resolve. The decisive victory at the San Antonio Stock Show is a direct reflection of the hard work and perseverance of our students.”

The victory for Texas Tech was powered by the combination of Mason Weadock and Jack Redifer, who finished first and second, respectively, in the individual competition. Weadock, a junior from Wall, captured the top spot with 945 points while Redifer, a junior from Blacksburg, Virginia, finished second with 929 points.

Weadock’s effort was led by first-place finishes in sheep judging and the reasons category while finishing fourth in goat judging. Redifer finished sixth in reasons, seventh in sheep judging and 10th in both goat judging and swine judging.

Ben Weis gave Texas Tech another strong showing with his fifth-place finish, racking up 926 points. He finished sixth in sheep judging and eighth in reasons.

Brayden Hawkins finished seventh with 924 points to round out Texas Tech’s top-10 contingent, finishing fourth in reasons.

Cameron Anderson, a junior from Needville, finished second in reasons and fifth in goat judging, while Will Gibson was ninth in cattle judging.

Other members of the Livestock Judging Team are:

  • Jonah Biensch, a junior from Marsden, Saskatchewan
  • Kaylee Casey, a junior from Malvern, Arkansas
  • Mason Flack, a junior from North Henderson, Illinois
  • Preston Lawrence, a junior from Pottsboro
  • Kyle Vehige, a junior from Bonnots Mill, Missouri
  • Jim Waldrop, a junior from Moultrie, Georgia

The team is coached by DeClerck along with undergraduate Brody Halfmann. Associate professor Ryan Rathmann serves as the team supervisor.

(News release from Texas Tech University)