University of Queensland Agribusiness and Agricultural Science graduates, Lawton Elliott and Sam Turner, will represent Australia in a series of meat judging events across the United States in January.
The three-week tour will also see them visit several key industry spots across the US, where they will have the opportunity to learn about the red meat industry in one of the largest red meat producing countries in the world.
Agribusiness graduate, Lawton Elliott, said it was an honour to be selected for the national five-member team, announced following the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association’s (ICMJ) Mort & Co Intensive Education and Development Week early this year.
“Growing up on a cattle, sheep, and goat property in south-west Queensland, I have always maintained a passion for all aspects of the agricultural industry, particularly within livestock production,” Lawton said.
“I was so excited to be selected in the Australian team – it’s an unbelievable honour and a massive privilege to represent your country in anything, so I’m very grateful.
“It was a very tight field of passionate, intelligent, and eager students who, in all honesty, all deserved to be selected.”
The Australian team will compete in several events during their time in the US, where they’ll be pitted against opponents from across the globe.
“The events we’ll be competing in will consist of eight specific classes, based around the judging and evaluation of beef, lamb, and pork, in terms of their quality and yield attributes,” Lawton said.
“These attributes could include marbling, ossification, fat coverage, defects, muscling, meat and/or fat colour, and more.
“Our ability to correctly judge these characteristics will be how we are judged.”
Agribusiness and Agricultural Science graduate, Sam Turner, said his passion for agriculture grew from frequent visits and work opportunities on properties owned by his friends.
He has now been working for the past two years in production at Stanbroke Abattoir, before deciding to join UQ’s meat judging team.
“I joined the team to learn more about cut terminology and judging methods, so I could transfer that knowledge and have a better understanding of what was happening at work,” Sam said.
“It’s been an invaluable experience and on top of that, ICMJ has provided me with more opportunities than I ever expected – this upcoming tour being a highlight.
“We’ll be travelling to several hot spots in the industry, including Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.
“We’ll get a good look at the different production systems within the red meat industry over there, and in between we’ll compete in several meat judging competitions.
“I also plan to stay in America after the tour and work at one of the businesses we visit for a few weeks to learn more about how they operate.”
