Blinn gives 4-H livestock judging teams final tune-up before state contest

Blinn Agricultural Sciences Program holds ‘mini-camp’ at Rankin Complex

June 7, 2024

For 4-H livestock judging teams across Texas, the Blinn College Agricultural Sciences Program offered a final tune-up before the State Roundup in College Station.

Blinn recently hosted a come-and-go “mini-camp,” showing two pens of Brahman bulls at the W.J. “Bill” Rankin Agricultural Complex Center on the Blinn-Brenham Campus.

Approximately 200 4-H members from around the state participated in the session before competing in the livestock judging competition at the State Roundup, held at Texas A&M University.

“I’m looking to learn more about the livestock industry and what to look for in good cattle and good livestock,” said Shawn Leifeste, a 4-H member from Cameron in Milam County. “We’re kind of a young team this year.”

Leifeste and his teammates did well at the Roundup, placing ninth. Brazos County, which also attended the mini-camp, won the contest. In all, eight of the top 10 judging teams were there.

“We wanted to offer this to teams across the state as an opportunity to see Blinn’s campus and interact with these students as they head to the state contest,” Blinn livestock judging coach Adrian Austin said. “Hopefully, we will get them here in a few years so they can be on our judging teams.”

Blinn ended the 2023-24 season as the top-ranked community college team in Livestockjudging.com’s national rankings.

Blinn will host two livestock judging camps in June at the Rankin Agricultural Complex. A session for experienced students (14 and older) will be held June 16-18. A camp for novice students (ages 8-13) will be held June 20-22.

The livestock judging team is part of Blinn’s Agricultural Sciences Program, which has one of the most active extracurricular programs in the state, including the Agriculture Club, wildlife, agriculture mechanics, and horticulture. Blinn offers agriculture classes on all its campuses, with the Rankin Agricultural Complex serving as the program’s headquarters.

For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/agricultural-sciences.