BROOKINGS, S.D. — The 2017 South Dakota State University Meat Judging Team finished up its season on February 11th, 2017 after competing in three judging contests.
The Meat Judging team provides participants with an opportunity to gain experience in the meat industry and learn more about the end product of livestock production. SDSU Animal Science Assistant Department Head, Dr. Rosie Nold, believes that being a member of the Meat Judging team provides students technical, teamwork, and communication skills that employers and business owners consider valuable, not only in the meats industry but across many different careers.
“We often hear from past team members, including beef producers, veterinarians, sales professionals and others, how much they learned from being on the team, and that they are applying those skills in their current jobs and businesses,” Dr. Nold says.
Meat Judging team members were given the opportunity to represent SDSU and compete with other universities at competitions this semester in Colorado, Texas, and Iowa. The 2017 Meat Judging Team, coached by Christina Fehrman, consisted of seven team members including Kathryn Haeska of Lake City, MN, Paige Binger of Tulare, SD, Bailey McConnell of Balaton, MN, Shaye Jungwirth of Hoven, SD, Erin Gubbels of Laurel, NE, Kiera Leddy of Stockholm, SD, and Cassidy Wulf of Magdalena de Kino, SON, MX.
The team started the year with a successful first contest in Greeley, CO. As a team, they placed 6th in written reasons, 6th in specifications, 3rd in lamb judging, 2nd in placings, and 5th overall at the National Western Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest.
Next up, they competed at the Fort Worth Stock Show. Paige Binger placed 3rd individual in lamb judging, and the team was 3rd overall in lamb judging, 5th in beef grading, 5th in pork judging, 5th in beef judging, 5th in specifications, 4th in total placings, 5th in reasons, and 5th overall team.
Their last contest of the spring season was the 39th Annual Iowa State University Intercollegiate Meat Evaluation Contest where the team placed 4th overall. Paige Binger received 9th overall individual and Erin Gubbels received 11th. In beef grading, Paige Binger placed 7th and the team placed 4th. In lamb judging, Erin Gubbels placed 7th, Kiera Leddy placed 9th, and the team placed 3rd. In beef judging, Erin Gubbels placed 3rd, Paige Binger placed 5th, Shaye Jungwirth placed 6th, and the team placed 3rd. In specifications, Shaye Jungwirth placed 5th and the team placed 3rd. In total placings, Paige Binger placed 3rd and the team placed 4th. In total reasons, Shaye Jungwirth placed 9th and the team placed 5th. In processed boneless ham, the team placed 1st. In processed summer sausage, the team placed 1st with a perfect score.
The team’s next contest will be at the National Barrow Show in September.
About the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences
The South Dakota State University College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences is one of the eight colleges that make up South Dakota State University. Like the university, the College serves a three-fold mission to teach, conduct research, and provide outreach via SDSU Extension programs to serve people in South Dakota, the nation, and the world. Learn more at http://www.sdstate.edu/abs.
— SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences
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