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Livestock Judging Team Wins First, Third at Tulsa State Fair
Oct. 28, 2009
Contact: Courtney Coufel, cacoufal@tamu.edu.979.845.1542
TULSA, OKLA. – Texas A&M University’s livestock judging team took first and third place at the Tulsa State Fair Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest held on Oct. 10 in Tulsa.
The Texas A&M maroon team scored 4,694 points, just two points ahead of second-place Oklahoma State University. Members of the maroon team are seniors Dustin Keith of Lincoln, Texas; Jacob Thorne of Winters, Calif.; Chris Cassady of Ancona, Ill.; Ryan Malone of Abingdon, Ill.; and Kobe Davis of Willis, Texas.
The Texas A&M white team finished third with 4,680 points. Team members are seniors Brenden Benson, Jesse Beckett and John Avellar of Winters, Calif.; Aaron Jennings of Fredonia, Texas; and Katie Fields of Mount Pleasant, Texas.
Blake Bloomberg and Zach Rambo, both graduate students in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M, coach the team.
“This team has proven time and time again that they are the most consistent in the country, winning Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, and now Tulsa,” Bloomberg said. “I’m extremely proud of them. We are in a great position for the rest of the fall.”
In addition to the first- and third-place team members, Jay Behrens of Voca, Texas; Joellyn Donough of Manheim, Pa.; Brandon Freel of Washington, Iowa; Kim Hardan of Snohomish, Wash.; Billy Moczygemba of Karnes City, Texas; Thor Patton of Silverton, Texas; Lindsay Swick of Franklin, Texas; and Michelle Whalen of Colleyville, Texas, participated in the individual competition.
Keith earned the second-highest individual score. Benson finished fourth; Jennings, seventh; and Donough, eighth.
The Texas A&M livestock judging team is coordinated by Dr. Chris Skaggs and Jake Franke. Students train in livestock evaluation, including the selection of beef cattle, swine, sheep, goats and horses, and presentation of reasons.
The team will travel to Kansas City, Mo., to compete in the American Royal Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest on Oct. 31, and will close the fall competition season at the International Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest on Nov. 16 in Louisville, Ky.
About the college:
With an enrollment of almost 6,500 students in 14 academic departments, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees and has a faculty of over 300 members, including a Nobel laureate and a Pulitzer Prize winner. Research programs include food sustainability and safety, human and animal health, genetics, renewable natural resources and bioenergy. Mark Hussey is Vice Chancellor and Dean.
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