West Texas A&M University is proud to be the home to a new competitive team, wool judging.
Wool judging consists of grading different specimens of wool based on certain characteristics that competitors are looking for. Some of these characteristics include “spin count” which is the amount of yards of wool in one pound as well as staple length and the yield percentage. Competitors also grade six classes; those being commercial and breeding classes.
Bailey Lamb is the coach for the WT wool team and explained how she is the teaching assistant for two classes at WT with one of them being Dr. Loni Lucherk’s AGRI 2300 Personal and Professional Leadership Development section. It is in this section of the class that students are first given the opportunity to learn about wool and wool judging.
“I also teach the students about the wool industry,” Lamb said. “And wool judging to prepare them to be members of the wool judging team.”
In addition to being the wool judging coach and teaching assistant, Lamb is now a WT buffalo as she is also pursuing a Master of Science in Animal Science.
“I started my graduate program in the Summer of 2024 at WT,” Lamb said. “And began coaching the first ever wool judging team from West Texas A&M in the Fall of 2024.”
Lamb explained how she became involved in wool judging and what previous experiences she’s had at the collegiate level.
“While I was a student at Texas A&M,” Lamb said. “Dr. Lucherk approached me about wanting to start a wool judging team at WT to grow judging programs at WT and provide freshmen a way to get involved. I was a member of both the wool judging and meat judging teams while a student at Texas A&M, which allowed me the opportunity to assist local 4-H and FFA teams; however, I have not been the coach of a collegiate judging team prior to WT.”
However, even with a brand new team and a new coach, the WT wool judging team not only competed with larger schools but have excelled in their competitions as with their last competition at the National Western Stock Show last Jan.
“This was WT’s first-ever showing at the National West Stock Show,” Lamb said. “With our inaugural wool judging team. As a team, we took home the champion overall and fifth place overall teams.”
Currently, there are 16 members of the WT Wool Judging team, and freshman Amy Scriffiny is one of them.
“My team is made up of diverse, unique individuals,” Scriffiny said. “That all share a strong determination to better themselves, work hard, and make a name for the WT wool judging program.”
Lamb explained how students should get in touch with her if they are interested in joining the WT Wool judging.
“Wool judging is open to all students,” Lamb said. “Typically, the team consists of mostly freshmen, but if anyone is interested in joining, reach out to me at [email protected]. No previous experience in wool or judging contests in general is needed, we will teach you everything you need to know to be successful.”
