Blinn College livestock judging team places sixth at National Western Stock Show

Sophomore Avery Oliver places third among individual contestants

January 20, 2023

The Blinn College livestock judging team placed sixth among community colleges at the prestigious National Western Stock Show (NWSS) held recently in Denver, Colo.

Blinn totaled 4,665 points in the contest, which included judging cattle, feedlot cattle, swine, and sheep/goats. The NWSS was Blinn’s first competition for 2023.

“I thought we competed well. The National Western Stock Show annually draws some of the top teams from colleges around the country,” said livestock judging Coach Quest Newberry. “We’ve got some veterans this year who I expect to do really well.”

Blinn was represented by sophomores Avery Oliver, Weston McElroy, Taylor Turner, Brady Halfmann, and Gunner Coburn.

Oliver was third overall, compiling 955 points. She placed fifth in cattle, 14^th in cattle reasons, eighth in reasons, third in feedlot cattle, and 13^th in sheep/goats.

McElroy was 21^st overall with 942 points. He was 20^th in cattle, 18^th in cattle reasons, seventh in reasons, and 15^th in swine.

Other top 20 placings for Blinn were Turner, 12^th in reasons and eighth in swine; McElroy, 15^th in swine; and Coburn, 19^th in reasons.

Blinn’s Agricultural Sciences Program has one of the most active extracurricular programs in the state, including livestock judging, Agriculture Club, wildlife, agriculture mechanics, and horticulture.

Blinn offers agriculture classes on all its campuses, with the W.J. “Bill” Rankin Agricultural Complex on the Brenham Campus serving as the program’s hub.

To learn more about Blinn’s Agricultural Sciences Program and the livestock judging team, visit www.blinn.edu/agricultural-sciences.