I have had an unbelievably amazing week - thanks Americans!

[Keren]

I just got home from a week in Armidale, where I participated in the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging competition. I understand that meat judging is a pretty big thing in the states so our competition is tiny compared to yours. But I had an amazing week. This year we were lucky enough to have Dr Tom Carr bring a team from the University of Illinois (sorry if I spelt that wrong). Dr Carr is amazing and it was great discussing with the team the differences between Australian and American agriculture. I must say my eyes have well and truly been opened. I had hoped to make it into the top five competitors, who then get a trip to America but unfortunately did not make it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every bit of it. I had a ball listening to the American competitors talking about your country - we heard about Lamberts where they throw bread rolls at you, and another restaurant (I cant remember where or the name) where you are challenged to eat a 75 ounce steak :shock: There were some funny moments due to cultural differences too - one of the blokes from U of I was so desperate for ketchup he bought a bottle of tomato sauce and a bottle of vinegar and mixed the two together!

I was really interested to hear that Dr Carr had never tasted lamb until he was university age, and that the U of I students might eat lamb once a month if they are lucky. Thats amazing, considering most Australians were brought up on lamb, and I myself will have lamb around 3 or 4 nights a week. It was also interesting to note the vast differences between your meat grading system and ours - yours is a lot more mathematical.

Anyway, I reckon I haven't even skimmed the surface as to what I learnt this past week. I haven't even processed all of it yet.

It was great!

PS By the way the U of I team completely dominated the competition, with one of the girls winning heaps of the classes and the team winning the shield for the champion team - they will be taking it back with them to America. We also had a Japanese team in the competition, but unfortunately didn't learn quite so much about their agriculture and cultural ways, mainly due to communication issues!

 

[CUZ]

Keren, glad you had such a good time. My wife was on the meat judging team at Univ of Tennessee many moons ago. Says part of the reason she is so cold natured now is because of all the time she spent in freezers looking at carcasses back then.

Cuz

 

[Workinonit Farm]

U of I students might eat lamb once a month if they are lucky. Thats amazing, considering most Australians were brought up on lamb, and I myself will have lamb around 3 or 4 nights a week.

I love lamb!! I would love to eat it at least once a month. I haven't had lamb in over a year. Where I am, it is way so expensive.

Sounds like you had a good time. Good for you, taking in all the info you could. I like your enthusiasm. Keep up with the interest.

Katherine

 

[Ryan]

Ah, meat judging. I was on the team at A&M for a semester. I pursued other options before the contests started... i was pretty decent at it, but being in the coolers all day and having meat judging consume my life for a year just wasn't what i really wanted to do.

the 72oz. steak is in Amarillo, Texas at the Big Texan. If you eat the steak and all the sides in an hour you get it for free.

Glad to hear you had a great time. I liked the meat judging, learned a lot doing it. just didnt like the cold so much. Australia is near the top of my list of the places i want to visit next.

 

[3MR]

There are free 72 oz steaks all over cattle country. Just follow the billboards to the local tourist steak house.

There are several places that do the "throwed rolls" as well; none as famous for it as Lmaberts near as I can tell though.

To bad you didnt get the free trip, you could have had a roll thrown at you. :lol:

 

[VanC]

I live about 10 miles from the University of Illinois and I know they take their Meat Science Dept. very seriously. One of the best in the world. I have spoken to Dr. Carr a couple of times, but can't say I know him well. Glad to hear you had a good time, and glad to hear you speak so highly of Dr. Carr and his students.

 

[Keren]

Ah, yes the cold is an added benefit. Last week, it was 3 degrees in the chillers while we were judging and it was 1 degree outside :shock: It was actually nice going in to judge lol.