Agricultural News
OSU Meat Judging Team Wins National Competition
Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:11:22 CDT
Oklahoma State University's Meat Animal Evaluation Team won the 48th National Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest that took place at OSU's Stillwater campus on March 25-26.
While earning its first national championship, the OSU squad set the competition's all-time record overall team score with 9,100 points. The team also set the all-time record score in the Market Animal Evaluation division.
"Collegiate judging contests are highly competitive and require tremendous dedication and desire from participants," said Gretchen Hilton, OSU assistant professor of meat science, who with Blake Bloomberg coaches the Cowboy squad.
Hilton said the team had a truly outstanding day, not only setting the two all-time records but also taking first-place honors in the Cattle and Swine divisions, and placing second in the Breeding division, third in the Communications division and fifth in the Meats and Sheep divisions.
Kaylee Krebs, an OSU animal science senior from Saratoga, Wyo., earned high individual honors. Along the way she set the all-time record overall score for individual competitors and the record score in the Market Animal division. She placed second in Swine, third in Cattle and sixth in the Breeding division amongst individual competitors.
Chase Reed, an OSU animal science senior from Winfield, Kan., earned sixth-high individual honors overall, while taking second in the Cattle division.
Jett Eder, an OSU animal science senior from Sharon Springs, Kan., earned seventh-high individual honors overall, while taking first-place honors in the Swine division.
Garrett Knebel, an OSU animal science senior from Winamac, Ind., earned third-place honors in the Sheep division and seventh-place in the Swine division.
Nick Pope, an OSU animal science senior from Tecumseh, Okla., earned second-place honors in the Market division and eighth-place in the Breeding division.
Jeremy Leister, an OSU animal science senior from Amsterdam, Mo., and Clint Mefford, an OSU animal science senior from Central Point, Ore., finished ninth and 10th in the Market division, respectively.
Zach Robertson, an OSU food science senior from Bland, Mo., earned 10th-place honors in the Cattle division, while Darin Annuschat, an OSU animal science senior from Kingfisher, Okla., earned ninth-place honors in the Swine division.
Additional team members included OSU animal science seniors Michael McCusker-Kinna of Middletown, Md.; Holly Hogue of Wilcox, Ariz.; and Derek Griffing of Bixby, Okla.
Hilton said being a member of a collegiate judging team is an invaluable experience, not just for the knowledge required to perform well in competitions but also because of the many applicable life skills gained: decision making, organization, time management, responsibility, the ability to work well with others in a team environment and work ethic.
"Members gain lifelong friends from within their team and around the country, as well as industry contacts that may assist with future employment," she said.
Hilton added that the OSU Department of Animal Science, OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and the university all benefit from fielding successful judging programs.
"It brings national recognition, which aids in recruitment, improves alumni support and fosters a sense of pride and tradition in the program," she said.
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