The Kansas State University Meat Animal Evaluation Team won National Champion honors at the 2021 Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest hosted in Manhattan, Kan. The team was recognized April 27 following the three-day competition.

The event was previously known as the Aksarben (Nebraska spelled backwards) contest. It now rotates among host institutions across the country. The competition includes live market animal carcass predictions and pricing, breeding animal evaluation and a meat judging competition. It is a capstone judging experience for students with its incorporation of so many industry-applicable concepts.

Results

The K-State team placed first in the breeding, pork, sheep and market animal divisions of the contest. The team also took second place in the meats, communications and beef divisions.

Individually K-State had four members place in the top five overall: Gabri Leone, Fowler, Colo., first; Ty Kim, Hartwell, Ga., second; Wyatt Banks, Cynthiana, Ky., third; and Chad Hibdon, Princeton, Kan., fourth.

“The Meat Animal Evaluation competition is the pinnacle competition for students who have already demonstrated excellence in animal and/or meat evaluation,” says Mike Day, K-State Animal Sciences and Industry professor and the department head. “The application of principles that are critical across a wide array of segments of the animal and meat industry, and the links to value-based marketing and other economic aspects of the same, emphasizes the comprehensiveness of this capstone experience. Congratulations to our K-State students for their high level of excellence in this competition.”

The team is coached by Travis O'Quinn, K-State associate professor;  and Chris Mullinix, K-State instructor.

Individual results

These are the individual results for K-State team members. Where no state is mentioned, the hometown is in Kansas:

Gabri Leone. Fowler, Colo. First, Overall; sixth, Beef; first, Market; ninth, Meats; seventh, Sheep; and first, Swine.

Ty Kim. Hartwell, Ga. Second, Overall; fifth, Beef; third, Breeding; second, Market; fourth, Sheep; and second, Swine.

Wyatt Banks. Cynthiana, Ky. Third, Overall; first, Breeding; sixth, Market; third, Sheep; and third, Swine.

Chad Hibdon. Princeton. Fourth, Overall; 10th, Beef, second, Breeding; 10th, Meats; and fifth, Swine.

Sydney Bowman. Brighton, Colo. Sixth, Overall; eighth, Beef; eighth, Breeding; seventh, Market; and first, Sheep.

Kaitlin Bell. Nottingham, Pa. 10th, Overall; seventh, Beef; fourth, Meats; and ninth, Swine.

Ben Jensen. Courtland, Kan. Third, Beef.

Andrew Anderson. Fort Scott. Fourth, Breeding; eighth, Sheep; and seventh, Swine.

Abby Leachman. Townsend, Mont. Ninth, Breeding; and fifth, Market.

Zane Platter. Gothenburg, Neb. Ninth, Market.

Hannah Seymore. Visalia, Calif. Fourth, Swine.

Mason Engnell. Good Hope, Ill. 10th, Swine.

Team members

Where no state is mentioned, the hometown is in Kansas:

Team members include Andrew Anderson, Candy; Wyatt Banks, Cynthiana, Ky.; Kaitlin Bell, Nottingham, Pa.; Sydney Bowman, Brighton, Colo.; Mason Engnell, Good Hope, Ill.; Brandon Fraser, Cochrane, Alberta; Chad Hibdon, Princeton; Colton Ivers, Austin, Minn.; Ben Jensen, Courtland; Ty Kim, Hartwell, Ga.; Katherine Krauss, Russell; Abby Leachman, Townsend, Mont.; Gabri Leone, Fowler, Colo.; Audrey Marchek, Harper, Ore.; Rhett Newby, Caney; Zane Platter, Gothenburg, Neb.; Abby Schiefelbein, Kimball, Minn.; Hannah Seymore, Visalia, Calif.; Amanda Stock, Troy; and Morgan Woodbury, Quenemo. 

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