By Blake Jackson
Students from Penn State Block and Bridle Club earned national recognition at the 105th National Block and Bridle Convention, held Feb. 3-5 in Nashville, Tennessee. The event was hosted by Middle Tennessee State University alongside CattleCon, the largest annual trade show and policy gathering for the U.S. cattle industry.
The Penn State chapter received third-place awards for both overall chapter activities and its published yearbook. Animal science major Megan Zipprich also placed fifth in the outstanding junior competition.
Last November, Zipprich was recognized as one of 10 recipients of the All-American Livestock Judging Award at the National Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky.
More than 30 students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences attended the convention to connect with peers from 31 universities and to participate in industry-focused programming. During their time in Tennessee, students toured several agricultural businesses and livestock operations, gaining firsthand insight into regional production systems.
The group also spent significant time at CattleCon, networking with producers, exploring new technologies, and attending educational sessions highlighting current trends and best practices in the beef sector. This year’s CattleCon drew a record crowd of more than 9,400 cattle producers and industry leaders.
Faculty advisers Tara Felix and Morgan Brumbaugh accompanied the students. “It was exciting for them to see thousands of producers gather together with the common goal of moving their business forward and driving beef demand and creating policy that secures a bright future for the next generation of producers,” Felix said.
“Our students are thinking about the future and their careers, and it’s good for them to be exposed to a segment of the animal agriculture industry.”
Photo Credit: penn-state-college-of-ag-sciences
Categories: Pennsylvania, Business, Education, Livestock