WT, Clarendon College Join Forces in Horse Judging Partnership

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s national-champion horse judging team will partner with Clarendon College in a new collaboration.

Clarendon College students will travel to Canyon to work with WT’s Dr. Christy Petry-Adams, clinical assistant professor and horse judging coach, and her team, including assistant coach Rylee McKinney, a graduate student in animal science from Brady.

“This is an amazing opportunity to connect with students early in their academic careers, giving us more time to train and prepare them for competition at the highest level,” Petry-Adams said. “It also helps strengthen the pipeline of experienced and motivated students transferring into our programs.”

Clarendon College’s meat judging team has partnered with Texas Tech University since 1988, leading to numerous national championships.

“I have high expectations of the partnership between Clarendon College and WT to launch a premier Horse Judging Program at Clarendon College,” the college’s president and CEO, Tex Buckhaults, said. “With WT’s renowned expertise and Clarendon College’s commitment to hands-on excellence, we are poised to build a national powerhouse in horse judging.”

Clarendon College’s horse judging team first was established in the mid-1990s, using graduate students from nearby universities as coaches. From 2000 to 2021, the college fielded teams under three different head coaches.

WT’s horse judging team is one of the most successful teams across the globe. Since 1994, the team has won 158 champion and reserve champion titles.

“This will be a mutually beneficial partnership for both schools,” said Dr. Kevin Pond, dean of WT’s Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. “Clarendon College attracts experienced, hard-working students who will compete very well in horse judging competitions. Under the talented leadership of Coach Dr. Christy Petry-Adams and her graduate students, both schools will excel as they compete to win national titles at the junior and senior college levels.”

Horse judging involves evaluating horses based on conformation, movement, and performance in various disciplines. Competitors place classes of horses in logical order and deliver oral reasons to explain their decisions.

Students in horse judging programs develop essential life and career skills: critical thinking, communication, decision-making, and confidence. These attributes translate into success across multiple industries, including veterinary medicine, breed associations, equine training, livestock marketing, pharmaceutical sales, agricultural education and so many more.

Meeting regional needs is the primary goal of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $165 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: McLean High School graduate Mallery Reynolds, center, celebrates signing up to join Clarendon College's horse judging team alongside West Texas A&M University assistant coach Rylee McKinney and coach Dr. Christy Petry-Adams. WT will partner with Clarendon College to strengthen the community college's horse judging program.

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