Students from The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus will travel to Wagga Wagga, NSW this weekend to compete in the fiercely contested Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition.
The team of nine students will pit their skills against other aspiring meat judges from universities and colleges around the nation for the chance to represent Australia in the United States later this year.
UQ Gatton enjoys a long history of achievement at this competition and is expecting no less this year according to team coach Rachel Webb.
“The team has been training since the beginning of the year and thanks to the assistance of local abattoirs, butchers and retailers we are in a position to be highly competitive,” Ms Webb said.
Miss Webb travelled to the United States as part of the Australian team following an outstanding performance in the Australian competition and sees the competition as an invaluable experience for students entering the industry.
“During the competition we will be tested on our knowledge and assessment of a range of beef, sheep and pork carcasses. The assessment methods used as exactly the same as those used commercially by processors to ensure the eating quality of meat for consumers”
The team and each student will be judged on their ability to assess the quality of individual beef, sheep and pork carcases and various cuts of meat using indicators such as meat colour, fat colour, eye muscle area, muscle and fat definition and market requirements.
Team members travelling to the Wagga Wagga competition are: Katie Bliss (Gracemere); Christopher Cook (Dalby); Vivian Finlay (Camooweal); Ben Huston (Gatton); Jeremy Phillips (Gatton); Anthony Rosser (Esk); Cath MacRae (Dalby); Harry Markwell (Eidsvold) and Janine Milne (Caboolture). Team coach is Rachel Webb from Tooraweenah in NSW.
The team will also be joined this year, for the first time by representatives from the newly formed Australian Agricultural College in Dalby. The Dalby students have been training in partnership with the UQ Gatton team.
The event is promoted at the Gatton Campus through the UQG Cattleman’s Club, a student organisation committed to developing the future of the beef industry. The team is sponsored by the Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital.
Media inquiries: Susanne Schick - UQ Gatton Campus (5460 1229, 0409 265 587). Additional Information/Comments: Rachel Webb (0427 859 527).
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