UNIVERSITY of New England’s students took out the top individual and overall champion team awards at the 2023 Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition in Wagga Wagga last week.

UNE’s Jonty Hemmingway won the title of individual Australian meat judging champion, finishing 18 points ahead of Sarah Hamblin from the University of Queensland.

Jonty’s total score of 1178 out of a possible 1250 points was one of the highest scores ever achieved in the competition that is held annually at the Charles Sturt University campus in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

Her stellar performance also helped UNE secure victory as 2023 champion team overall, ahead of the University of Queensland, runners up for the second year in a row. UNE were last champions in 2006.

This year’s competition also included industry participants for the first time. Signature Beef’s Megan Bauman top scored in the overall industry category and Emily Lavis from Mort and Co finished runner up.

ICMJ president Dr Peter McGilchrist said the spirit of competition was alive and well during this year’s event and the training students had put in in the lead up to the contest was evident in the results on the day.

“I was very proud to see the UNE team take home the win this year, but I was impressed by of all of this year’s contestants for putting in such an outstanding effort across the two-days of competition,” he said.

“It can be quite daunting for many first timers to step into the chillers with the pressure of the clock and the number of classes they have to judge, but they all did a fantastic job.

“The best advice we can give them is: don’t overthink it, judge it as you see it and have fun.”

The top 15 individuals in the competition were narrowed down to a team of 10 who will go on to another ICMJ event in September where they’ll take part in further professional development opportunities and industry tours. They’ll be joined by a second contingent of students called the Coaches XI, selected for their leadership skills, dedication and their potential to have a positive impact on the red meat industry. From that group, five will be chosen in the Australian ICMJ team to tour the United States in January next year and compete on the US meat judging circuit at the National Western Stock Show in Denver.

The meat judging competition was the final component of the ICMJ National Conference hosted annually by Charles Sturt University and Teys Australia, Wagga Wagga, before winners were announced at Saturday night’s gala awards dinner.

The five-day conference program also included seminars and presentations from industry leaders, question and answer panels, interactive carcase workshops, a careers expo and social events.

More than 130 participants from eight Australian universities and eight industry companies attended the event as well as a team of nine students from the University of Wyoming in the United States.

ICMJ activities are supported by foundation partners Meat & Livestock Australia and the Australian Meat Processor Corporation. The event is also supported by conference partners including Teys Australia, Coles, JBS, Australian Pork Limited, Australian Poll Dorset Association,  AACo, Australian Meat Group, Aus-Meat, Fulton Market Group, Angus Australia, Kilcoy Global Foods, Rimfire Resources, Fletcher International Exports, Charles Sturt University, Gundagai Lamb, Rivalea Australia, Beef Central and AllFlex.

More than 3000 people have taken part in the ICMJ program over its 33-year history.

For more information about ICMJ, visit www.icmj.com.au.

Overall championship awards

Champion individual overall – John Carter Founders Buckle sponsored by AMPC Australia. Presented by Amanda Carter from AMPC – Jonty Hemmingway, University of New England.

Runner up individual overall: Sarah Hamblin, University of Queensland.

Champion team overall – Roy McDonald Shield sponsored by Meat & Livestock Australia. Presented by Mel Smith from MLA – University of New England.

Runner up team overall: University of Queensland.

Pork judging – sponsored by Australian Pork Limited

Pork carcases for the competition were sponsored by Rivalea Australia. Presented by Rowena Davis from APL.

Individual champion: Sarah Hamblin, University of Queensland.

Individual runner up: Angus Bartter, Charles Sturt University.

Champion team: University of Queensland – Shania Gough, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Will Richards.

Runner up team: University of Adelaide – Deanna Blesing, Jessica Meldrum, Sophie Nuske, Kelly Will.

Lamb judging – sponsored by Australian Poll Dorset Association.

Lamb carcasses for the competition were sponsored by Gundagai Lamb. Presented by Isabele Roberts from Australian Poll Dorset Association.

Individual champion: Bonnie Mitchell, Charles Sturt University.

Individual runner up: Angus Bartter, Charles Sturt University.

Champion team: University of Sydney – Callum Munter, Katherine Seymour, Emma-Jane Tuck, Lingxuan (Shelly) Xiao.

Runner up team: Murdoch University – Anneke Borger, Karryn Buller, Kelly Giam, Rhiannon Heath.

Retail cut & saleable items identification – sponsored by Coles

Presented by Aliette Errington from Coles.

Individual champion: Jonty Hemmingwayl University of New England.

Individual runner up: Sarah Hamblin, University of Queensland.

Champion team: University of Queensland – Shania Gough, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Will Richards.

Runner up team: Charles Sturt University – Angus Bartter, Stephanie Lezaich, Mon McKinley, Bonnie Mitchell.

Commercial evaluation – sponsored by JBS

Presented by Harriet Brawne from JBS.

Individual champion: Maya Robertson, University of Sydney.

Individual runner up: Kara Reynolds, University of Wyoming.

Champion team: University of New England – Jonty Hemmingway, Georgie Laurie, Emma-Rae Shaw, Rowan Vallance.

Runner up team: Charles Sturt University – Angus Bartter, Stephanie Lezaich, Mon McKinley, Bonnie Mitchell.

Beef judging – sponsored by Teys Australia

Presented by Stephen Thomson from Teys Australia.

Individual champion: Jonty Hemmingway, University of New England.

Individual runner up: Mitchell Lollback, Marcus Oldham College.

Champion team: University of New England – Jonty Hemmingway, Georgie Laurie, Emma-Rae Shaw, Rowan Vallance.

Runner up team: University of Queensland – Shania Gough, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Will Richards.

Overall carcase placings – sponsored by CSU Wagga

Presented by ICMJ life member, Professor Peter Wynn, Charles Sturt University.

Individual champion: Sarah Hamblin, University of Queensland.

Individual runner up: Jonty Hemmingway, University of New England.

Champion team: University of New England – Jonty Hemmingway, Georgie Laurie, Rowan Vallance, Emma-Rae Shaw.

Runner up team: University of Queensland, Sarah Hamblin, Shania Gough, Will Richards, Holly Johnson.

Overall question class – sponsored by Australian Agricultural Company

Presented by Eliza Gray, Australian Agricultural Company.

Individual overall champion: Jonty Hemmingway, University of New England.

Individual overall runner up: Mitchell Lollback, Marcus Oldham College.

Runner up team: University of Queensland – Sarah Hamblin, Shania Gough, Will Richards, Holly Johnson.

Individual industry – presented by ICMJ treasurer, Kiri Broad

Champion individual: Megan Bauman, Signature Beef.

Runner up individual: Emily Lavis, Mort and Co.