WT Meat Judging Team Wins National Contest with Near-Record Score

West Texas A&M University’s Meat Judging Team has claimed victory at the prestigious American Royal Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest, held on October 13, 2024, at Nebraska Beef in Omaha.

The WT team achieved a near-record score of 4,283 points, falling just one point shy of tying the highest score ever recorded in the contest’s history.

The team triumphed over competitors from Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, Kansas State University, and the University of Wyoming, winning by a 59-point margin.

Dr. Loni Lucherk, the team’s coach and the Gordon W. Davis Endowed Chair in Meat Judging, praised the team’s performance: “The students had a perfect day, setting a precedent of excellence for all meat judging teams nationwide.”

The WT team also took top honors in several categories, including beef grading, lamb judging, pork judging, specifications, total beef, reasons, and placings. Additionally, they placed fourth in beef judging.

Will Hauerland, a junior agricultural business and economics major from Sealy, Texas, was the highest-ranked individual with a WT-record score of 1,079. He won first place in beef grading, lamb judging, total beef, and specifications while placing fourth in total placings.

Other standout performers include Campbell Offield, a junior agricultural education major from Plainview, who ranked second overall and placed first in reasons.

Daniel Raab, a senior animal science major from Fredericksburg, placed fourth overall and first in pork judging. Lane Golla, a senior from New Braunfels, ranked sixth overall. Helene Keiser from Nebraska and Katie Labrum from Wyoming excelled in the alternate division.

This achievement marks the second consecutive year WT’s Meat Judging Team has won this contest, showcasing their continued dominance in the field.

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