The Australian national meat judging team has finished up third overall at the National Western Stock Show competition in Denver, Colorado.
The team of five students, including Lauren Smith (Murdoch University), Jessie Phillips (Charles Sturt University), Felicity Brumpton (University of New England), Jess Davis (University of Sydney) and Nikita Ellison (University of Queensland) was coached by Sarah Stewart (Murdoch University, Meat Scientist) and Nick van den Berg (MEQ, producer).
The team also took out champion team and individual in lamb judging. It is the fourth year running that the Australians have taken out champion team for lamb judging.
Meat Judging involves assessment of beef, lamb and pork carcasses and primal cuts on eating quality and lean meat yield attributes, such as marbling, trimness and muscling.
Coach Nick van den Berg said in addition to judging beef, lamb and pork carcasses and primals, students also must learn the USDA grading system for the competition.
“It’s very a challenging learning concept in such a short time and takes a great deal of focus and dedication,” he said.
“They all be can very proud of their achievements, learning a whole new grading and value based pricing system in under two weeks.”
Team member Felicity Brumpton, who runs a Merino stud in Mitchell, Queensland, was excited to represent Australia in such a prestigious competition.
“It has been challenging learning the USDA grading system in a short time but we have had some excellent training and plant visits that has made the experience fun and competitive,” she said.
“It was very exciting to have a win at the contest, particularly up against American teams in the US. It has also been really fun meeting other students and making some really valuable contacts throughout the US”
The competition was a part of a month-long annual student tour of the US industry coordinated by the Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) Association and is sponsored by Meat and Livestock (MLA) and the Australian Meat Processors Corporation (AMPC).
Coach Sarah Stewart said the aim of ICMJ was to build careers and inspire future professionals in the meat industry.
“Meat judging programs and the ICMJ US industry tour accelerates student development and gives them the skills, confidence and professional networks to enter into a career within the industry,” Dr Stewart said.
“In this way we can help grow industry leadership capacity.”
The National Western Stock Show culminates the training and competitive component of a month long US industry tour.
The team will now focus on visiting a broad cross section of the US meat industry, including seedstock and cow calf producers, lot feeders, universities, processors and retailers.
For team mates Lauren Smith and Nikita Ellison, the competition highlighted the volume of young people that are passionate about the industry and the networking opportunities that are available.
The 30th anniversary of the Australian ICMJ Association will be celebrated at the annual ICMJ conference and competition in Wagga Wagga in July and will host 150 tertiary students from Australian and international universities.
For the first time in 2019, ICMJ will also hold the Northern conference in Rockhampton, focusing on the northern Beef sector.
