Contact: Burt Rutherford                                                                                     August 15, 2002                                

TCFA FED BEEF WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The annual TCFA Fed Beef Challenge has become known as the gathering place for some of the best fed cattle in the country and one of the oldest and most competitive events of its kind.  The 2002 Fed Beef Challenge lived up to its reputation as cattle feeders from Cattle Feeding Country of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico went head to head during the Beef Capital of the World event in Hereford recently to see who could win bragging rights as winners of the 2002 contest.

Sponsored by the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, the Fed Beef Challenge is a contest designed to let cattle feeders compete in producing high quality beef that consumers demand.  A total of 30 feedyards entered 58 pens of steers and heifers.  The pens of three were scored on an index developed by TCFA to identify optimum carcass value.  The index uses a base of 100 points and is adjusted for ribeye area, internal fat, back fat, yield grade and quality grade to arrive at a final score. 

First place pen of steers was won by C Bar Feedyard at Plainview that entered a pen of three with a final index score of 251.5.  Second place went to Hale Center Feedyard at Hale Center with a pen that indexed 247.9 and third place was captured by Stratford Feedyard at Stratford with a pen that scored 232.3.

First place pen of heifers went to Circle Three Feedyard at Hereford with a pen that amassed a 273 index.  Second place was captured by Bartlett II at Hereford with a pen that scored 258.4 and third place went to Coronado Feeders at Dalhart with a pen that indexed 254.6. 

Grand champion individual carcass honors went to Caprock #6 at Lockney with a heifer that tallied a 112.3 index.

In the judging contest, Leo Vermedahl, manager at Carrizo Feeders at Texline, won a trophy saddle for winning the feedyard division.  The "Manager's Judge Your Own" contest was won by Dick Chumley, manager of Coronado Feeders at Dalhart, who took home a pewter sculpture.  First place in the public evaluation contest went to Bryan Smith of Canyon, second place was won by Lionel Lane of Weatherford and third went to Rod Alt of Lubbock.

The Texas Cattle Feeders Association represents cattle feeders in Texas , Oklahoma and New Mexico , an area that produces 30% of the nation's fed beef. 

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