University of Sydney Champion Overall Team (L-R) Dror Liraz, Lucy Baker, Alicia Potts, Connor Butchard.

FOR the first time since 2002, the University of Sydney has been crowned the Champion Team Overall at the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) National Competition in Wagga Wagga.

The University of Sydney team, made up of Lucy Baker, Connor Butchard, Alicia Potts and Dror Liraz, finished 14 points ahead of the University of Queensland team who claimed Runners Up for the fifth year in a row.

Despite finishing Runners Up, University of Queensland took out Champion Team titles in four of the eight classes including Pork Judging, Lamb Judging and Retail Cut and Saleable Item Identification.

Charles Sturt University’s Catherine Cornish claimed individual honours and was awarded the John Carter ICMJ Founder’s Buckle with 1,195 points out of a possible 1,350.

Individual Overall Champion, Catherine Cornish from CSU.

“I didn’t know much about meat judging before training, so this win is a reminder of the amazing people who helped get me here. We had a great team from CSU and I wouldn’t have competed if it wasn’t for our sponsors and the amazing coaches we had,” Miss Cornish said.

“ICMJ is an amazing opportunity and anyone who is thinking about it should go for it. We were able to meet future colleagues from across the country who are at different universities or are already in the industry. Not only is it a fantastic learning opportunity but also networking opportunity.”

Emma Wilkinson from the University of New England was Runner Up Individual with 1,181 points.

The ICMJ National Competition is one of the main components of the ICMJ National Conference held annually in July at Charles Sturt University and Teys Australia, Wagga Wagga with the awards presented at the ICMJ Thomas Foods International Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday night.

The conference bought together more than 160 participants from Australia, the United States and Japan this year to help prepare them for a future career in the red meat industry by exposing them to the fundamentals of meat science, insights from experts working across the supply chain and a range of professional development opportunities and practical workshops.

ICMJ President Professor Peter McGilchrist, who marked 20 years on the ICMJ committee this week, said while the competition was often the drawcard for students, the real impact of the ICMJ program was in the connection between participants and industry leaders and insiders.

“ICMJ ignites a real passion in young people to become involved in the red meat industry and gives them the knowledge and hands-on experience that makes them an incredible asset to our industry,” Professor McGilchrist said.

“Most of the students who attend ICMJ conferences are studying agriculture, veterinary science or agribusiness but many of them have had only limited industry exposure and are not aware of the huge range of career opportunities that exist right across the red meat supply chain.”

This year the ICMJ National Conference included a contingent of young industry professionals who had not previously been part of the ICMJ program.

“We also had a team from the University of Southern Queensland compete and participate in ICMJ for the first time ever, which was fantastic to see,” Professor McGilchrist said.

Several of the teams travelled huge distances to take part – including the James Cook University team who drove more than 2,200km over several days to get from Townsville to Wagga Wagga.

Following the conference and competition, a group of 21 Australian university students were selected to participate in the ICMJ Intensive Industry Training Week in Brisbane later this year to further develop their skills and understanding of the Australian red meat industry.

Some of those students will be selected to the Australian ICMJ Team to tour the United States red meat industry and compete on the US meat judging circuit early next year.

2026 ICMJ National Competition Award Winners

Australian Champion Team Overall 

Runner Up: University of Queensland
Charlie Lawler, Lucy Newman, Hannah Johnson, Montana Sanderson

Champion: University of Sydney
Lucy Baker, Connor Butchard, Dror Liraz, Alicia Potts

Coach of the Champion Team – Maddison Luke and Alice Shirley

Champion Individual Overall

Runner-Up: Emma Wilkinson, University of New England
Champion: Catherine Cornish, Charles Sturt University

Industry Champion Award

Runner-Up: Will Cooper, Thomas Foods International
Champion: Thomas Jackson, Fletcher International Exports

Tom Carr Award for Coaching Excellence – Charlie Salter, James Cook University

Class Results

Pork Judging

Individual Runner Up: Charlie Lawler, University of Queensland
Individual Champion: Emma Wilkinson, University of New England

Runner Up Team: University of Arizona
Aislee Drake, Anika Gates, Hailey Harmon, Karlee Larzalere

Champion Team: University of Queensland
Hannah Johnson, Charlie Lawler, Lucy Newman, Montana Sandersan

Lamb Judging

Individual Runner Up: Eliza Mactaggart, Marcus Oldham College
Individual Champion: Jock Triggs, Marcus Oldham College

Runner Up Team: Marcus Oldham College
Eliza Mactaggart, Lucy Packer, Georgina Russ, Abbey Staines

Champion Team: University of Queensland
Hannah Johnson, Charlie Lawler, Lucy Newman, Montana Sandersan

Retail Cut and Saleable Item Identification

Individual Runner Up: Connor Butchard, University of Sydney
Individual Champion: Charlie Lawler, University of Queensland

Runner Up Team: University of Sydney
Lucy Baker, Connor Butchard, Dror Liraz, Alicia Potts

Champion Team: University of Queensland
Hannah Johnson, Charlie Lawler, Lucy Newman, Montana Sandersan

Commercial Evaluation

Individual Runner Up: Lucy Packer, Marcus Oldham College
Individual Champion: James Downie, Marcus Oldham College

Runner Up Team: Marcus Oldham College
Eliza Mactaggart, Lucy Packer, Georgina Russ, Abbey Staines

Champion Team: Murdoch University
Connor Cahil, Koen Harper, Henry Stephens, Samantha Wimpenny

Beef Judging

Individual Runner Up: Catherine Cornish, Charles Sturt University
Individual Champion: Connor Butchard, University of Sydney

Runner Up Team: The University of Arizona
Aislee Drake, Anika Gates, Hailey Harmon, Karlee Larzalere

Champion Team: University of Sydney
Lucy Baker, Connor Butchard, Dror Liraz, Alicia Potts

11 Finalists selected for Industry Training Week in Brisbane (eligible for selection to Australian ICMJ team)

●    Molly Smith, University of Queensland
●    Emma Wilkinson, University of New England
●    Charlie Lawler, University of Queensland
●    Drew Kearney, Charles Sturt University
●    Montana Sanderson, University of Queensland
●    Hannah Johnson, University of Queensland
●    Eliza Mactaggart, Marcus Oldham University
●    Emily Mailer, University of New England
●    Samantha Wimpenny, Murdoch University
●    Connor Butchard, University of Sydney
●    Catherine Cornish, Charles Sturt University

Coaches 10 –  selected for Industry Training week in Brisbane (Not eligible for selection to Australian ICMJ team)

●    Erica Smith – University of Adelaide
●    Alyssia Hocking – James Cook University
●    Lucy Gunther – University of Southern Queensland
●    Xavier Graham – University of New England
●    Connor Cahill – Murdoch University
●    Kira Hetherton – University of Melbourne
●    Lockie Mactaggart – Marcus Oldham College
●    Lucy Newman – University of Queensland
●    Georgina Greene – Charles Sturt University
●    Dina Cao – University of Sydney

The ICMJ National Conference is supported by foundational partners Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Meat Processor Corporation. It is also supported by a range of industry partners including Teys Australia, Australian Pork Limited, Thomas Foods International, JBS Australia, NH Foods, Australian Poll Dorset Association, Fletcher International Exports, Australian Meat Group, Bindaree Food Group, Rimfire Resources, Australian Meat Industry Council, Aus-Meat, Australian Country Choice, Harvest Road (Harvey Beef), Greenham, Stockyard Beef, Gundagai Lamb, Sunpork and Charles Sturt University.