Meat Judging Teams Strong; 2008 Team Member in The Wall Street Journal
AgBio CommunicationsThe 2008 SDSU meat judging team began its season in the same manner that the 2007 SDSU meat judging team finished its season: strong. So strong, in fact, that 2008 team member Jace Hollenbeck, Harrisburg, was featured in a front-page article in The Wall Street Journal.
The 2007 team closed its season by taking a first in beef grading and a fourth overall at the season-ending International Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest (Nov. 11, 2007, Dakota City, Neb.). Matt Grussing, Chamberlain, paced the team with a first overall, which was just the second time that an SDSU team member was a high individual at the International event.
The 2008 team began its season by taking first place overall at the National Western Livestock Show Meat Judging contest (Jan. 20, Greeley, Colo.). A reporter from The Wall Street Journal attended the contest and filed a story (“What’s the Beef? Making the Grade at Meat Judging”) that appeared in the March 12 issue of the newspaper. Hollenbeck, who took high individual overall honors at the event, was featured extensively in the article. The team also took first place overall at the Southwestern Intercollegiate Meat Judging contest (Feb. 2, Ft. Worth, Tex.).
Rules governing intercollegiate meat judging allow individuals just one season of eligibility, so new meat judging teams must be formed each year. Head coach Dustin Mohrhauser and assistant coach Sarah Wells, both meat science graduate assistants, lead SDSU’s meat judging teams. Duane Wulf, is the faculty adviser.
The 2008 SDSU meat judging team includes Hollenbeck; Tyler Radke, Minnesota Lake, Minn.; Eric Hogle, Clarion, Iowa; Katelyn Milton, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; Robbie Helberg, Paso Robles, Calif.; Amanda Nolz, Mitchell; and Tyler Urban, Lennox.