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Meat Animal Evaluation Team

2015 Meat Animal Evaluation Team

MAET Team


Back Row (Left to Right): Brady McNeil (Coach) of Dewitt, IA; Kyle Ruth of Iowa City, IA; Ginny Miller of Reed City Michigan; Brice Hintzche of Rochelle, IL; Brian Patterson of Bloomington, WI; Jon DeClerck (Coach) of Ames, IA; Front Row- Shayne Wiese of Manning, IA; Amanda Patterson of Bloomington, WI; Katlyn Kahler of Cambridge, IA; Jordy Berger of Chesterfield, Mo. Not pictured Dustin Smith of Decorah, IA.


The 2015 Meat Animal Evaluation Team was excited and eager to carve its position in the over 50 years of ISU judging history as it prepared for the National Contest in Stillwater Oklahoma. ISU was instrumental in the formation of the Meat Animal Evaluation Contest, and have maintained a formidable tradition with the event. All the teams hard work and dedication led them to the three day contest in Stillwater which serves as the National Championship for Intercollegiate Meat Animal Evaluation. The team upheld ISUs reputation with a prosperous campaign finishing 5th Overall at the national contest. The team was also named 4th Communications, 5th Breeding, 5th Live Evaluation, 5th Sheep, 5th Beef, 5th Swine divisions. Individually, the team was led by Kyle Ruth who was 2nd Breeding, 9th Sheep; Jordy Berger 8th Meats; and Amanda Patterson who was 7th Swine.  

The Meat Animal Evaluation Team is coached by Jon DeClerck and Brady McNeil. The members of the team would like to thank its numerous supporters. The team has graciously been hosted by livestock breeders and commercial packing plants all over the country, which has aided in the learning experience and also made success possible. We can't thank each of you enough.


Team Coach

Iowa State University's Livestock Judging Coach and Meat Animal Evaluation Coach: Jon DeClerck

The team and coach together

Jon grew up on a family farm just outside Aledo, Illinois which also includes 120 head of cows. Jon attended Black Hawk Community College in Kewanee Illinois, were he excelled in livestock judging competitions and helped his team earn victories at 11 out of 12 contests including winning every National Competition. Jon finished his collegiate career at Texas A&M University where his Livestock Judging Team went undefeated in 2006, and captured the National Championship at Louisville, Kentucky. Jon then pursued a Master's Degree in Ruminant Nutrition at Texas Tech specializing in feedlot cattle management. While at Texas Tech, Jon served as Co-Coach of University's Livestock Judging Team, leading the 2008 squad on a successful campaign that was capped off with a National Championship at North American in Louisville. This incredible feat etched Jon's place in livestock judging history, as perhaps the only person ever to judge on a champion team at the North American in 4-H, Junior College, and Senior College and to also Coach a Champion Senior College Team. Jon has served as a faculty member at Iowa State University since 2010 where he works as a lecturer and coaches the Livestock Judging and Meat Animal Evaluation Teams.