Blinn College livestock judging team places second at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Team records top-five finishes at every contest during outstanding 2025-26 season

March 19, 2026

The Blinn College livestock judging team closed an exceptional season with a second-place finish at the highly competitive Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLS&R) contest Monday, capping a yearlong streak of top-five performances.

Blinn totaled 4,625 points at the HLS&R contest, placing first in Brahmans and cattle, second in reasons, fourth in swine, fifth in placings, and seventh in sheep/goats.

Blinn finished third in LivestockJudging.com’s national community college rankings for the 2025-26 school year with a 1.489 power rating. Blinn had top-five finishes at all of its contests, including first at the State Fair of Texas, Griswold Cattle Classic, Fort Worth, Dixie National, and San Antonio; second at the American Royal Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest, Top Notch Intercollegiate Swine Judging, Tulsa State Fair, and HLS&R; third at the National Barrow Show; fourth at the Cattleman’s Congress and the National Western Stock Show; and fifth at the North American International Livestock Exposition.

At Houston, Paige Zimprich was seventh high individual, placing first in swine, 11^th in cattle and placings, 12^th in reasons, and 17^th in Brahmans.

Jhett West was ninth high individual, placing sixth in swine, 14^th in reasons, and 16^th in placings. Ryleigh Gilfoil was 16^th, placing first in Brahmans and cattle, and seventh in reasons.

Luke Domingue was third in Brahmans, 10^th in cattle, and 16^th in reasons. Jenna Lindig was sixth in cattle and reasons, and 20^th in Brahmans.

In the alternates individual competition, Blinn had three of the top five. Hayden Fowler was third, Ian Moss fourth, and Will Philipello was fifth.

Fowler was first in swine, fifth in reasons, and seventh in sheep/goats. Moss was second in cattle, fourth in reasons, and seventh in swine. Philipello was fourth in cattle, fifth in swine, and ninth in reasons.

Vance Aaron was third in (alternate) cattle, Sage Schenk was sixth in (alternate) swine, and Carolyne Turner was 10^th in (alternate) Brahmans.

Gilfoil, West, Zimprich, and Kenna Schram were also named to the 15-member 2025-26 All-American Junior College Team, announced at the HLS&R contest.

“This award results from academic and judging efforts throughout the year,” said coach Adrian Austin. “We are very proud to have four of these very talented 15 students.”

Livestock judging is part of Blinn’s Agricultural Sciences Program, which has one of the most active extracurricular programs in the state, including the Agriculture Club, wildlife, agriculture mechanics, and horticulture.

Blinn offers agriculture classes on all its campuses, with the W.J. “Bill” Rankin Agricultural Complex on the Brenham Campus serving as the program’s headquarters. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/agricultural-sciences.