DUAL degree University of Queensland student Katja Zapf is the individual overall meat judging champion at the 2022 Iintercollegiate Meat Judging  national competition.

The 2022 ICMJ National Competition has wrapped up in Wagga Wagga with Katja taking the individual title among competitors from throughout Australia and Texas in the United States.

Katja finished five points ahead of Cole Petit from West Texas A&M University, with a total score of 1087 out of 1247.

The 23 year-old is in the final year of studying a dual degree in Agribusiness and Equine Science at the University of Queensland.

West Texas A&M takes out champion team award

The overall team champion award went to West Texas A&M University with University of Queensland coming in just 49 points behind as runner-up.

ICMJ president Dr Peter McGilchrist said this year’s competition was fierce, despite a two-year gap since the last event.

“The attention to detail of the students was very impressive.

“They were totally focused on determining the value of the carcasses and primals by weighing up yield and quality attributes,” he said.

“Talent and enthusiasm of the students for the red meat industry was spread right across all the universities which is reflected in the spread of competition results.”

Dr McGilchrist said it was also encouraging to see the collegiality between teams and competitors throughout the week.

The top 17 placegetters at the Wagga Wagga competition were whittled down to a top ten after a round of interviews.

“There has never been a more impressive group of students coming through,” Dr McGilchrist said.

Those 10 students, along with nine others selected for the Coaches XI, will attend the ICMJ Industry and Development Week later this year.

The coaches XI are selected for their leadership skills and dedication and their potential to have a positive impact on the red meat industry.

From there, a team of five will be selected to represent Australia in an international meat judging competition in the US in January.

The ICMJ National Conference is an annual event for university students and recent graduates from around the world.

The program includes seminars, question and answer panels, interactive workshops, a careers expo, social events and the 2022 National Meat Judging Contest held at Teys Australia.

ICMJ activities are supported by foundation partners Meat & Livestock Australia and the Australian Meat Processor Corporation.

It is also supported by conference partners including Teys Australia, Coles, Australian Pork Limited, NH Foods, Kilcoy Global Foods, AACo, Fletcher International Exports, Grad Link, JBS, Herefords Australia, Fulton Market Group, AMIST Super, Angus Australia and Allflex.

ICMJ 2022 National Competition results:

Overall championship – individual

John Carter Founders Buckle – sponsored by AMPC Australia and presented by ICMJ Australia founder, John Carter.

Individual Overall Runner Up: Cole Petit, West Texas

Individual Overall Champion: Katja Zapf, University of Queensland

Overall championship – team

Roy McDonald Shield – sponsored by Meat & Livestock Australia and presented by MLA’s Mel Smith.

Overall Team Runner Up: University of Queensland – Lawton Elliot, Nick Loughan, Samuel Turner, Katja Zapf

Overall Team Champion: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit. (Coached by Loni Lucherk)

Tom Carr Award for Coaching Excellence – Will Sylvester, Marcus Oldham College. Presented by Demi Lollback from ICMJ.

Finalists Selected for Industry Development Week: Lawton Elliott, UQ; Rachel Franklin, USYD; Jack Jansen, UNE; Anna Johnston, UNE; Callum Melton, UNE; Austin Smith, Murdoch; Harriet Taylor, Marcus; Samuel Turner UQ; Jasmine Wholton, CSU; Katja Zapf, UQ.

Coaches XI selected for Industry Development Week: Li Li Diu, Uni Adelaide; Meg Kennett, Marcus Oldham; Jillian Burgess, USYD; Lachlan Young, UQ; Kaitlyn Adesson, Murdoch; Chloe Sansom, UMEL; Jasmin Campbell Brown, CSU; James Palmer, LaTrobe; Connie Blake, UNE.

Pork judging

Sponsored by Australian Pork Limited and presented by Rachel Bryant. Carcases for the competition were sponsored by Rivalea Australia

Individual Runner Up: Maddie Bignell, UNE

Individual Champion: Cole Petit, West Texas A&M

Team Runner Up: University of New England – Maddie Bignell, Jack Jansen, Anna Johnston, George Simiana.

Team Champion: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit

Lamb judging

Sponsored by Fletcher International Exports and presented by Gab Ryan. Lamb carcases for the competition were sponsored by Coles.

Individual Runner Up: Cole Petit, West Texas A&M

Individual Champion: Austin Smith, Murdoch

Team Runner Up: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit

Team Champion: Charles Sturt University – Sophie Hanna, Olivia Henzen, Angus Pilmore, Jasmine Wholton.

Retail Cut and Saleable Item Identification

Sponsored by Coles and presented by Georgia Eastwood.

Individual Runner Up: Nick Loughlan, UQ

Individual Champion: Katja Zapf, UQ

Team Runner Up: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit,

Team Champion: University of Queensland – Lawton Elliot, Nick Loughan, Samuel Turner, Katja Zapf.

Eating quality evaluation

Sponsored by NH Foods Australia, presented by Maria Thompson, Agstar Projects

Individual Runner Up: Harriet Taylor, Marcus Oldham

Individual Champion: Jasmine Wholton, CSU

Team Runner Up: University of Sydney – Rachel Franklin, Jessica Hua, Ryan McCluskey, Alice Shirley.

Team Champion: University of New England – Maddie Bignell, Jack Jansen, Anna Johnston, George Simiana.

Beef judging

Sponsored by Teys Australia and presented by Stephen Thomson.

Individual Runner Up: Sophie Angus, USYD

Individual Champion: Lawton Elliot, UQ

Team Runner Up: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit

Team Champion: University of Queensland – Lawton Elliot, Nick Loughan, Samuel Turner, Katja Zapf.

Overall placings

Sponsored by Kilcoy Global Foods and presented by Jemma Harper at AMPC

Individual Overall Runner Up: Caleb Baker, West Texas

Individual Overall Champion: Katja Zapf, UQ

Overall Team Runner Up: University of Queensland – Lawton Elliot, Nick Loughan, Samuel Turner, Katja Zapf.

Overall Team Champion: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit.

Overall questions

Sponsored by Australian Agricultural Company and presented by Laura Garland from MLA.

Individual Overall Runner Up: Maddie Bignell, UNE

Individual Overall Champion: Lawton Elliott, UQ

Overall Team Runner Up: West Texas A&M – Caleb Baker, Jacob McMillan, Carter Mortensen, Cole Petit.

Overall Team Champion: University of New England – Maddie Bignell, Jack Jansen, Anna Johnston, George Simiana.

Beef pricings

Sponsored by JBS and presented by Aaron Graham.

Individual Overall Runner Up: Cole Petit, West Texas

Individual Overall Champion: Katja Zapf, UQ

Overall Team Runner Up: University of Queensland – Lawton Elliot, Nick Loughan, Samuel Turner, Katja Zapf.

Overall Team Champion: University of Sydney – Rachel Franklin, Jessica Hua, Ryan McCluskey, Alice Shirley.