Building on wins in Denver and Fort Worth, the Texas Tech University meat judging team made in a clean sweep for the spring judging season by taking both first and second place at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Saturday.
Unlike other shows, Houston allows schools to enter more than one team in the competition. The Texas Tech teams from the Department of Animal and Food Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources took the top two spots over third-place Colorado State University and Big 12 Conference rival Oklahoma State University in fourth. The Texas Tech Black team cruised to the overall win with 4,172 points while the Red team scored 4,109 points to edge Colorado State (4,108).
As a team, Texas Tech swept the top two spots in four categories – overall beef, beef judging, specifications and total placing. The Texas Tech Black team also finished second in beef grading, pork judging and reasons/questions while the Red team finished third in lamb judging and pork judging.
Individually, Texas Tech played eight of the top 10 finishers, led by Jessica Humphrey. The junior from Okeechobee, Florida took top honors with 1,052 points, edging teammate Cole Perkins, a sophomore from Llano, who had 1,046 points. Boyd Henry, a sophomore from San Angelo, finished third with 1,046 points while Kye Schwartz, a sophomore from San Angelo, was fifth with 1,044 points.
Rounding out Texas Tech’s top 10 finishers are Tommy Fletcher, a sophomore from LaVernia (sixth, 1,043 points), Lane Harrington, a junior from Waxahachie (seventh, 1,042 points), Kiersten Scott, a junior from Scott City, Kansas (eighth, 1,039 points) and Keeley Sears, a sophomore from Weatherford (ninth, 1,039 points).
Other members of the meat judging team are:
· Kyle Caldwell, a sophomore from Midlothian
· Katlynn Freeman, a sophomore from Panhandle
· Augustus Holbein, a junior from Hebbronville
· Courtney Jasik, a junior from Mertzon
· Shannon O’Quinn, a sophomore from Galveston
· Blayne Troxell, a sophomore from Pampa
· Chelsi Vineyard, a sophomore from Bridgeport
· Megan Writt, a sophomore from Spring
The meat judging team is coached by instructor Loni Lucheck, graduate assistants Nick Hardcastle and Mallorie Phelps and San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science Mark Miller.
(News Release Provided By Texas Tech)
