Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Gunning part of reincarnated WSU squad
Davenport High School alum Ashley Gunning (top, second from right) is one of 11 Washington State University students on a meat judging team that has won both contests it has competed in this year.
PULLMAN - A Davenport native is part of an 11-member meat judging team at Washington State University that has won both contests it has participated in this year.
Ashley Gunning, a 2019 graduate of Davenport High School, is the lone Lincoln County native on the squad that won two meat judging contests in January and is heading to Houston for a third contest Tuesday, Feb. 28.
The team won Champion Team Overall for the A-Division at the National Western Stock Show in Denver Jan. 15, then took first place at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Jan. 31.
This is the first time WSU has put forth a team since 1969 and is coached by Dr. Blake Foraker. The team is under the Department of Animal Science but has team members under several major studies. Gunning, for her part, is indeed an animal science major.
"This is Blake's first year," Gunning said. "He's trying to reinvigorate the meat science program."
Gunning said most team members, including herself, had never done any meat judging competitions prior to joining the team this year. She did participate in 4H and FFA as a girl.
"The 11 of us were who showed up to the first meeting," Gunning said.
Gunning was on the alternate team in Fort Worth, as only four team members get marked in each contest. She took first place in the alternate division there.
Foraker selects the four members prior to each competition, she said.
Contestants are asked to place classes of red meat species, including rams, beef and pork. They also do yield grading and quality grading on beef carcasses and must answer questions on all species.
After a third meat judging contest in Houston, the team is aiming for the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest in Canyon, Texas. That contest is in late March.
Other team members include Alynn Harder of Hooper, Bailey Sherley of Ellensburg, Grace Lieuallen of Issaquah, Kayla Richardson of Ravendale, Kenan Kontaratos of Maple Valley, Lani Skyles of Outlook, Lauren Ziegler of Toppenish, Mackenzie Shattuck of Pasco, Makenzie Zessin of Touchet and Joseph Koenig of Tulare, California.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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