CC livestock judging program begins new era

One of Clarendon College’s signature programs is entering a new era with a leadership transition underway.

Since the inception of the livestock judging program at Clarendon College in 1976, only two men have ever held the distinction of head coach – Jerry Hawkins and Johnny Treichel.

That steady leadership has resulted in one of the most stable and consistent judging programs in the country. After careful consideration, CC officials announced this week that Ty Gillespie will be taking on the position of head livestock judging coach and judging teams’ coordinator.

Gillespie is a familiar face to the program, having served alongside Treichel since 2019. He grew up in Joshua and is a CC alumnus himself, having attended Clarendon College to judge livestock in 2015. He continued his education at Texas Tech University, where he was a member of the livestock judging team under the direction of Jon DeClerck and Ryan Rathmann while obtaining a bachelor’s in Animal Science. He then went on to receive a master’s degree in Agriculture from West Texas A&M University.

Gillespie not only brings a wealth of knowledge from his days as a judging competitor and assistant coach but also brings experience in the trenches of production agriculture, where he and his family manage a show cattle operation that focuses on selling steer projects to 4H and FFA members in Texas and surrounding states.

“There’s no doubt I have big shoes to fill,” Gillespie said. “This program has been built and led by exceptional individuals. My goal will be to preserve the rich history and tradition that has been forged while continuing to progress the program in a positive direction. At the forefront will always be the development of students into winners and leaders in the game of life.”

Clarendon College is excited to welcome Gillespie into his new role and looks forward to the vision and leadership he will bring to the program as we build towards a strong future.

In July, Treichel was promoted as the new Dean of Students. He assumed the role of head livestock judging coach in the fall of 2003 and has served diligently in that position for the past 22 years. He leaves behind a legacy marked with immense success both in and out of the judging circle.

During his time, he has coached teams to win contests and had many students named to the All-American team. Individually, he has been named a distinguished alumnus at both Clarendon College and West Texas A&M University. Most importantly to Treichel is the long list of great students he has had the opportunity to see grow and flourish both while at Clarendon and beyond.

It has been a pleasure to uphold the tradition that was set before my arrival as coach,” Treichel said. “I would like to thank all of the students and their parents that I have had the pleasure of working with over the past years. Many of whom have become lifelong friends. Seeing them succeed in life has given me much more pride than a banner or trophy ever could.“

As the program facilitates this smooth transition, Treichel will still carry the title of judging teams’ consultant and will be available to assist where needed. He will also continue to travel with the team in the fall.

“Johnny and I have made a great team over the past six years,” Gillespie said. “Johnny has been so much more than a co-worker to me. When you spend that much time together, you become like family. I will forever cherish his mentorship, and it will be reassuring to have him remain close to the program and be there to lean on and offer support and advice.”