Judging, Touring, and Philly Cheesesteaks!
The University of Wyoming Meat Judging Team just got back from an exciting trip to Pennsylvania. They took part in a national contest and visited several big meat processing plants. Team member Jennifer Parker shared some of the best moments from their journey, which mixed hands-on training, exploring new places, and tough competition.
The trip began last Tuesday with a drive to Greeley, Colorado, where the team spent two and a half days training at JBS Greeley, a large-scale beef processing plant. “We did a lot of grading,” Parker explained. “We got to pull products and do specs and cut classes. It was a lot of hands-on work.”
This hands-on training helped the students improve their judging skills in a real-world setting and prepare for the contest. On Thursday morning, the team headed to Denver to catch their flight east.
After landing in Philadelphia, the team quickly tried some local food. “We immediately got some Philly cheesesteaks,” Parker said with a laugh. “They were absolutely bomb.” The group then settled in for the night, getting ready for a busy schedule of plant tours and workouts.
On Friday, the team visited Marcho Farms, a veal and lamb processing plant in southern Pennsylvania, for a lamb workout. “We’ve never been in a veal plant before, so that was really cool,” Parker said. She explained that veal production is more common on the East Coast because there are more dairy farms. “A lot of dairies breed their cows for milk production, but the calves aren’t always needed, so they’re sent to veal plants.”
For Parker, the visit offered a new perspective, “I personally never eat veal, but it was interesting to see how it’s processed and how different the industry is out there.”
Next, the team visited Clemens Food Group, which is home to the Hatfield brand and is a major pork processor. “They butcher all the pigs and supply the Philadelphia Phillies stadium with all their hot dogs,” Parker said. The team took part in a pork workout and got a full tour of the facility.
The Eastern National competition took place on Saturday in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. The group had an early wake up call due to them having to be ready to compete by 5 a.m. Once at the competition, team members were given their packets and headed straight into the coolers once split up.
Contestants were required to memorize charts for yield and quality grades, specifications, and terminology for every cut and carcass. “We have to have all of that memorized,” Parker emphasized. “Then they announce our classes, we make out our note cards, and we go in the cooler.”
The morning session had five placing classes, two specs classes, and a quality rail. After lunch, students came back for five more placing classes and a three-part yield rail. “It’s a very long day,” Parker said. “We didn’t leave until like 4:30.”
Despite the intensity, the UW team performed admirably. They placed fifth in beef grading, fourth in lamb judging, and fifth in speculations. Hadley Paisley, team member, placed third overall in specs, and the team placed seventh overall.
The contest featured top-tier programs including Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Auburn, Illinois, and Iowa. “It’s technically national,” Parker explained, “but not every school has a meat science program so there isn’t a ton of teams that compete.”
This contest introduced an unexpected challenge: a retail cut class featuring pork loin steaks. Not something the collegiate meat teams usually have to compete in, but this contest had it and Parker said, “It was good to switch it up.” The team was surprised by the switch-up at the last class of the contest, but were glad for a valuable learning experience.
Visiting different regions lets students see how meat quality and presentation can vary. “You honestly learn something new everywhere you go,” Parker said. “All the beef looks different. Most of our practice stuff is frozen, but contests use fresh hams and cuts, which are more soggy and have a different texture.”
After the contest, the team spent Sunday exploring Philadelphia. They visited places like the Philadelphia Magic Gardens, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. “The traveling is always fun,” Parker said. “Sometimes you forget that you’re judging because you’re always on the move, seeing new things. But it’s always worth it.”
