WT Meat Judging Team Dominates at Cargill Competition

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s Meat Judging team recently took home another championship, powered by several perfect individual and team scores.

The team won the championship of the Cargill High Plains Meat Judging Contest on Oct. 27 in Friona, with a score of 4,212.

“It is so exciting to see this team victorious as we head into the international contest next month,” said Dr. Loni Lucherk, Gordon W. Davis Endowed Chair in Meat Judging and team coach. “Most of these students had little to no experience in meat judging prior to coming to WT. Now, they are not just good at meat judging. They are leaders within University organizations and have an average GPA of 3.68. They are an all-around impressive group.”

The WT team placed first in pork judging and specifications, the latter with a perfect score. The team also placed second in reasons and beef grading, third in beef judging, fourth in placings and fifth in lamb judging.

The team defeated squads from Texas A&M University, Kansas State University, Texas Tech University, Oklahoma State University, Tarleton State University, University of Wyoming, University of Florida and South Dakota State University.

This is the second championship of the team’s season, following a near-record-setting performance Oct. 13 at the American Royal Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest. The team next will compete Nov. 10 at the International Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in Dakota City, Nebraska.

Will Hauerland, a junior agricultural business and economics major from Sealy, placed second overall, second in pork judging, second in reasons and fifth place in specifications with a perfect score. Ties in perfect scores are broken on beef grading.

Lane Golla, a senior animal science major from New Braunfels, won a $1,000 scholarship from the Bellinger Foundation. He placed third overall, first in pork judging, fourth in beef grading and fourth in specifications, also with a perfect score.

Campbell Offield, a junior agriculture education major from Plainview, placed 12th overall and earned a perfect score in specifications.

Daniel Raab, a senior animal science major from Fredericksburg, placed 16th overall, third in pork judging and earned a perfect score in specifications.

Mya Alford, a senior animal science major from Brock, placed eighth overall in the alternate division.

Also earning perfect scores in specifications were Helene Keiser, a junior animal science major from Gothenburg, Nebraska; Katie Labrum, a junior animal science major from Bear River, Wyoming; Clayton Stevenson, a junior animal science major from Earth; and Lily Hooser, a senior agriculture major from Chillicothe.

In addition to Lucherk, the team also is coached by Will Boyd, a graduate student in animal science from Joshua.

WT’s meat judging team is one of the ways the University is responsive to regional needs, as set out in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: West Texas A&M University's Meat Judging team won another championship at the Oct. 27 Cargill High Plains Meat Judging Contest. Pictured are, front from left, Daniel Raab, Will Hauerland, Lane Golla and Clayton Stevenson; and, back from left, Coach Dr. Loni Lucherk, Mya Alford, Helene Keiser, Katie Labrum, Lily Hooser, Campbell Offield and Coach Will Boyd.

—WT—