Trail Boss Champions: BYU Range Management Team Takes Top Spots at Annual SRM Meeting

Photo by April Hulet

Students from BYU’s range management team arrived in Spokane, Washington, tired after a long, snowy drive through Idaho and Montana. The team was preparing to compete in the Society for Range Management's (SRM) annual meeting where teams from 26 North American universities gather to participate in a variety of events.

The competitions test valuable skills in rangeland management, which deals with the sustainable management of large areas of land used for grazing by domestic and wild animals. It includes the conservation of native plant species. Events include plant identification, public speaking, professional research, web design, and the Undergraduate Range Management Examination (URME). Dr. April Hulet, a plant and wildlife sciences professor involved with the team, said the URME “is a rigorous competition that tests students' knowledge of rangeland ecology, management principles, inventory techniques, grazing strategies, policy, and economics.”

BYU’s range management team returned to campus with several awards, including the Trail Boss University Championship Award, which marks the fourth consecutive year that BYU has received this honor. This prestigious award is given to the top performing university across all events, demonstrating that the team’s months of preparation and years of dedication have paid off yet again.

Photo by April Hulet

“This consistent success across multiple events highlights not only the individual talent and commitment of BYU’s students—including those who have competed for multiple years—but also the strength of the university’s rangeland education program and the dedication of its students and coaches,” Hulet explained. “With this victory, BYU continues to solidify its reputation as a powerhouse in rangeland management.”

The competition not only provided students an opportunity to shine, but also gave them a chance to network and connect with other professionals in the rangeland management community. Russell Torgersen (PWS ‘25), one of the students who competed, said, “Being a part of the range management team has been one of my favorite undergraduate experiences at BYU. By participating on the team, I have made many friends and gained valuable skills for the future.”

Samuel Leigh (PWS ‘25) shared Torgersen’s sentiments and added, “Being able to work with my peers, my coaches, and my professors has been a wonderful experience. We've all become very close as a team, and awards and trophies aside, I feel like a winner for the lifelong friendships I've made more than anything else.”

Mallory Hinton (PWS ‘25) saw God’s hand in their success and is grateful to do research in this field. “I have been thinking about how special it is that I get to participate in research that focuses so heavily on God’s creations,” she said. “Through my research I get to have a part in stewardship, conservation, and love of His creations and I feel that I have grown closer to God through doing so.”