The University of Queensland has been crowned champion university team at the ICMJ Northern Conference beef judging competition in Rockhampton.

In the Industry category, Kilcoy Global Foods came away with the champion team title, narrowly defeating runners up, Signature OnFarm.

The competition is the culmination of the three-day ICMJ Northern Conference held in Rockhampton at CQUniversity and Teys Australia and provides an opportunity for young industry professionals and university students to put their beef carcase knowledge and assessment skills to the test.

Competitors judge across several classes including retail cut identification, overall questions, overall placings, commercial evaluation and beef judging.

Individual awards were also handed out at the Gala Awards Dinner at Headricks Lane in Rockhampton on Saturday night, with Sarah Hamblin from UQ crowned 2023 Northern Champion Meat Judging Individual ahead of Katja Zapf from AACo.

“With a record 130 delegates coming from every state in Australia, and increased participation by the agribusiness community in the conference trade expo and careers fair, this event keeps going from strength to strength,” ICMJ Northern Conference Chair Ethan Mooney said.

The 2023 ICMJ Northern Conference and beef judging competition is sponsored by NH Foods Australia, Advance Rockhampton, JBS, Beef Australia, Signature Beef, Greenleaf, AAAS, Australian Brahman Breeders Association, Herefords Australia and Northern Conference founding partners, Teys Australia and CQUniversity.

It is one of two major events held annually by ICMJ, with the 2023 ICMJ National Conference scheduled to be held in Wagga Wagga from 4-9 July.

ICMJ’s foundation partners are Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Australian Meat Processing Corporation (AMPC).

Full results below:

2022 ICMJ Northern Beef Conference Competition Results

Retail Cuts and Saleable Items ID
Sponsored by CQUniversity
Presented by Kim Harrington, Associate Vice President Rockhampton Region

Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Harry FitzGerald, University of Queensland
Winner: Mitchell Lollback, Marcus Oldham College

Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Emily Miles, Signature Onfarm
Winner: Katja Zapf, AACo

Team Awards –
Runner Up: Signature OnFarm
Cheynne Meldrum, Emily Miles, Greta Stonier, Patrick Sullivan

Winner: The University of Queensland
Harry FitzGerald, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Amber Whibley

Overall Questions
Sponsored by Rockhampton Regional Council
Presented by Cr Ellen Smith

Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Angus Bartter, Charles Sturt University – tie breaker
Winner: Sarah Hamblin, University of Queensland – tie breaker

Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Katja Zapf, AACo – tie breaker
Winner: Madalyn Bignell, Kilcoy Global Foods – tie breaker

Team Awards –
Runner Up: The University of Queensland
Harry FitzGerald, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Amber Whibley

Winner: Marcus Oldham College
Sam Palmer, Mitchell Lollback, Nina Keene, Angus Crossing

Overall Placings
Sponsored by Beef Australia
Presented by Beef Australia CEO Simon Irwin

Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Tahlia Morgan, University of New England
Winner: Amber Whibley, University of Queensland

Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Henry Sharp, AACo
Winner: Alysia Turner, JBS

Team Awards –
Runner Up: University of New England
Angus Macdonald, Tahlia Morgan, Matilda Paesler, Rowan Vallance

Winner: University of Queensland
Harry FitzGerald, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Amber Whibley

Commercial Evaluation
Sponsored by JBS
Presented by Peter Batley

Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Phillipa Ireson, Marcus Oldham College
Winner: Angus Macdonald, University of New England

Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Megan Crawley, JBS
Winner: Henry Sharp, AACo

Team Awards –
Runner Up: The University of Queensland
Harry FitzGerald, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Amber Whibley

Winner: Kilcoy Global Foods
Madalyn Bignell, Macklin Emmett, Anna Johnston, Jessica Winther

Beef Judging
Sponsored by NH Foods
Presented by Jasmine Wholton

Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Jack Waters, Marcus Oldham College
Winner: Angus Bartter, Charles Sturt University

Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Angus Creedon, ABBA
Winner: Katja Zapf, AACo

Team Awards –
Runner Up: University of Queensland
Harry FitzGerald, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Amber Whibley

Winner: Charles Sturt University
Angus Bartter, Gab Goldsworthy, Bonnie Mitchell, Angus Pilmore

2023 Northern Champion Meat Judging Individual
Sponsored by Teys Australia
Presented by Shane Butler

Champion individual
Runner Up – Katja Zapf, AACo
Winner – Sarah Hamblin, University of Queensland

2023 Northern Champion Meat Judging Team 
Sponsored by AMPC
Presented by Bec Bennet, AMPC

Champion team – University
Runner Up: Charles Sturt University
Angus Bartter, Gab Goldsworthy, Bonnie Mitchell, Angus Pilmore

Winner: University of Queensland
Harry FitzGerald, Sarah Hamblin, Holly Johnson, Amber Whibley

Champion team – Industry
Runner Up: Signature OnFarm
Cheynne Meldrum, Emily Miles, Greta Stonier, Patrick Sullivan

Winner: Kilcoy Global Foods
Madalyn Bignell, Macklin Emmett, Anna Johnston, Jessica Winther

Most Outstanding industry individual (selected by the Committee)

Sponsored by MLA

Winner: Angus Creedon, ABBA

 

Source: ICMJ