November 5, 2019
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Twenty-six Hereford youth received $180,000 in scholarships from the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) Friday, Oct. 25, at the American Hereford Association (AHA) Hereford Honorees awards ceremony during the AHA Annual …
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Twenty-six Hereford youth received $180,000 in scholarships from the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) Friday, Oct. 25, at the American Hereford Association (AHA) Hereford Honorees awards ceremony during the AHA Annual Meeting and Conference in Kansas City, Mo.
“HYFA and its board members are very pleased to award a record-dollar amount and number of scholarships this year,” says HYFA President Ray Ramsey. “We know the cost of education continues to rise. Part of the HYFA mission is to assist Hereford youth in offsetting their college expenditures. It is our hope to benefit as many junior Hereford enthusiasts as much as possible, so we continue to push forward growing the HYFA assets that will fund scholarships, leadership and continued education.”
Many generous donations throughout the years from multiple supporters of Hereford youth make these scholarships possible.
One new scholarship was awarded to a National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members at this year’s event. The newest endowment, the MGM Memorial Scholarship, was created by the Merry family and MGM Polled Herefords of Hartford, Wis. The late Gordon and Marian Merry started MGM Polled Herefords in 1956 with their five children. This scholarship honors the Merry family, who seeks to reward juniors who are passionate about Hereford cattle and interested in becoming veterinarians.
The OXO and HYFA World Traveler Scholarships are offered every fourth year and are designed to provide exceptional Hereford youth the opportunity to travel to the World Hereford Conference as AHA representatives. Recipients will be headed to Queenstown, New Zealand, March 7-13, for the 2020 World Hereford Conference. The OXO Scholarship honors the Legacy of the Matasovic family and this year HYFA is supporting a travel team of four who will participate in the young breeders competition.
This year’s scholarship recipients are:
Ball Foundation/Cottonwood Springs Farm $5,000 Scholarship: Rusty Wolf, Alexandria, Ky.
This scholarship honors the legacy of Ed and Virginia Ball and Tim and Nancy Keilty, owners of Cottonwood Spring Farm who have a passion for helping youth involved in the Hereford industry.
Bar One Ranch $5,000 Scholarship: Bailey Morrell, Willows, Calif.
George and Karen Sprague of Bar One Ranch, Eugene, Ore., made a generous donation to HYFA in 2011 for an annual scholarship to be awarded in honor of Ken Tracy, a fellow Hereford breeder who lost his battle with cancer.
Blin Family $2,500 Scholarship: Kira Sayre, Arenzville, Ill.
Jim and Randy Blin families of Iowa, were owners of the dispersed Star Lake Cattle Ranch in Oklahoma and are longtime supporters of Hereford youth.
Bob & Dolores Call $5,000: Hannah Williams, Kearney, Neb.
The late Bob Call and his wife, Dolores, have been longtime supporters of Hereford youth, and this scholarship is given annually in their honor.
EE Ranches $5,000 Scholarships: Mallory Carlson, Murdock, Minn., and Abigail Spindle, Moriarty, N.M.
Jo and the late Bill Ellard are longtime supporters of Hereford youth and two scholarships are given annually in their honor.
Gary Bishop Memorial $2,500 Scholarship: Abigail Spindle, Moriarty, N.M.
This scholarship is awarded to a deserving member of the NJHA who demonstrates many of the same qualities of Gary Bishop who worked for the American Hereford Association.
HYFA $2,500 Scholarship: Jae Anderson, Logan, Utah
This scholarship is designed to provide recognition for outstanding members of the NJHA and to encourage individual and cooperative effort, enthusiasm, excellence, leadership, academic success and achievement.
Jack & Donna Vanier Family $10,000 Scholarships: Rachael Bagnell, Slater, Mo.; KC Barnes, Hulbert, Okla.; Hattie Duncan, Wingate, Ind.; Blakelee Hayes, Ada, Okla.; Montana Lawrence, Princeton, Minn.; Taylor Belle Matheny, Mays Lick, Ky.; Dixie Miller, Lincoln, Ark.; Katie Nolles, Bassett, Neb; Abbygail Pitstick, South Solon, Ohio; Peyton Schmitt, Birmingham, Iowa
The Vanier Family of CK Ranch in Brookville, Kan., awards 10 scholarships to youth who demonstrate a commitment to higher education and who have overcome obstacles in their lives.
Bob & Lucy Kube $2,500 Scholarship: Regan Mitchem, Vale, N.C.
Bob and Lucy Kube are longtime supporters of Hereford youth and this scholarship is given annually in their honor.
Ken & Carolyn Larson $2,500 Scholarship: Parker Cantrell, Collinsville, Okla.
This scholarship is awarded annually in honor of Ken & Carolyn Larson who are long-time supporters of the Hereford youth.
MGM Memorial $2,500 Scholarship: Ceara Cull, Hartland, Wis.
The MGM Memorial Scholarship was established by the Gordon and Marian Merry family of MGM Polled Herefords, and aims to recognize youth who are passionate about Hereford cattle and are interested in becoming a veterinarian.
OXO and HYFA World Traveler $5,000 Scholarships:
Travel Team: Tyler Allan, Schulenburg, Texas; Keayla Harr, Jeromesville, Ohio; Taylor Belle Matheny, Mays Lick, Ky.; Abigail Spindle, Moriarty, N.M.
OXO World Travelers: Rylee Barber, Channing, Texas and Hannah Williams, Kearney, Neb.
The original OXO World Hereford Traveler Scholarships were established by the family of John and Estelle Matasovic in memory of their parents through the HYFA. The scholarships were designed to award exceptional Hereford youth with the opportunity to travel to the World Hereford Conference. This year the OXO fund will be sending two youth to represent the United States at the World Hereford Conference in New Zealand and in addition, HYFA will be sponsoring a team of four to compete in the youth competition.
Perks Ranch $5,000 Scholarship: Samuel Lawrence, Avilla, Ind.
This scholarship was established to honor Doug Perk’s legacy and leadership on the HYFA board.
Whitehead/Rocking Chair Ranch $2,500 Scholarship: Harley Rogers, Hamilton, Texas
Whitehead/Rocking Chair Ranch honors Lloyd Whitehead of Texas, who was an instrumental part of HYFA and is dedicated to supporting Hereford youth.
Tennessee River Music Inc. $2,500 Scholarship: Lauren McMillan, Tiskilwa, Ill.
Randy and Kelly of Tennessee River Music Inc., are long-time supporters of Hereford youth.
Scholarship recipient bios:
Tyler Allan is the son of Dave and Becky Allan and a sophomore at Texas Tech University, majoring in animal science. Tyler grew up raising and showing purebred Hereford cattle and has competed at the Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE), where he was named champion senior showman in 2018. Over the years, he has helped educate younger showman about the show cattle industry by working with Sullivan’s Stock Show University program. He has become interested in ruminant nutrition, and his past experiences and future goals position him for success as he pursues his future endeavors.
Jae Anderson is the daughter of James and Dawn Anderson. The 22-year-old currently attends Utah State University, pursuing a degree in agribusiness. Her passion for Hereford cattle started before she could even walk when her grandparents gave her a registered Hereford heifer to start her own herd. Throughout her collegiate career, Jae has worked for Idaho AgCredit as a credit support specialist and currently is working for Hoffman AI Breeders.
Rachael Bagnell is a sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia, majoring in agricultural education. The 19-year-old daughter of Bob and Tonya Bagnell is currently serving as the president for the Missouri Junior Hereford Association. Along with being a member of the University of Missouri’s Block and Bridle and Collegiate FFA, Rachael still assists her parents on their purebred Hereford operation. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree after the completion of her bachelor’s.
Rylee Barber is a senior at Texas A&M University, majoring in agricultural communications and journalism. The 21-year-old daughter of Brett and Nicole Barber is serving as the vice chairman for the NJHA board of directors. Rylee hopes to pursue a career that allows her to work with youth in the livestock industry. Her past internships have allowed her to be a more effective communicator with livestock producers and to strengthen her public speaking skills.
KC Barnes is currently a graduate student at the University of Arkansas, pursuing a master’s in agricultural economics. The son of Kent and Diana Barnes was on the Oklahoma State University (OSU) meat judging team during his undergraduate career. He also served as president for the Oklahoma Junior Hereford Association and past secretary for the American Farmers and Ranchers Collegiate Farm Bureau.
Mallory Carlson is the daughter of Ross and Beth Carlson. She currently is a senior studying animal science at South Dakota State University (SDSU). Her degree interest led her to a quality assurance internship with Smithfield Foods. Mallory will be the assistant judging coach for the SDSU meat judging team. After finishing her bachelor’s degree, Mallory plans to continue her education at SDSU and pursue a master’s degree in meat science. She was the owner of the 2017 Reserve Champion Pen of Three Purebred Hereford and Highest Average Daily Gain in the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout.
Parker Cantrell is the son of Steve and Michelle Cantrell. He is a junior at Oklahoma State University (OSU), studying animal science with an agribusiness option. Parker currently works at the OSU Purebred Beef Center. Growing up on his family’s Hereford operation, Parker ran a small feed sales operation and a bovine reproduction service which sparked his interest to pursue a career in sales.
Ceara Cull is a junior majoring in animal science with a meat animal emphasis at the University of Wisconsin- River Falls. The 20-year-old daughter of Bob and Staci Cull hopes to attend the University of Wisconsin- Madison Veterinary College. She currently serves as the cattle events chair on the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Beef Management team. At the 2019 Wisconsin State Fair, she was third overall Beef Knowledge Master.
Hattie Duncan is a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in animal science. The 19-year-old daughter of David and Jill Duncan currently works in the beef nutrition lab on campus, assisting graduate students with their projects. Hattie has grown up raising Hereford cattle. She hopes her future career allows her to make a positive impact on the beef industry.
Keayla Harr is the 23-year-old daughter of Jeff and Lou Ellen Harr. While majoring in animal science at Kansas State University, Keayla has been a member of the meat science quiz bowl team and she was recognized as the Don and Jane Good Outstanding Animal Science Senior. She recently interned with Cargill in its ruminant nutrition and food research and development department. She hopes to continue her education and to obtain a master’s degree in meat science.
Blakelee Hayes is currently a sophomore at Oklahoma State University, where she is studying animal science with a focus on animal nutrition. Blakelee is the daughter of the late Jeff and Jennifer Hayes, and she has been showing cattle at the local, state and national levels since 2008. She is a member of the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen’s Association and the NJHA.
Montana Lawrence is a political science and studio art major at the University of Minnesota-Morris. The 21-year-old daughter of Bryan and Marytina Lawrence currently serves as membership chairman for the NJHA. For Montana being a board member has given her the opportunity to inspire and positively influence fellow NJHA members. While in college, Montana recognized the need for agricultural representatives throughout the political system, which has led her to pursue a law degree once she has finished her bachelor’s degree.
Samuel Lawrence is a senior studying animal science at Kansas State University (K-State). While at K-State, the son of Scott and Susan Lawrence was a member of a successful livestock judging team and participated on the university’s meat animal evaluation team. He currently is serving as leadership chairman for the NJHA. During his time being a part of NJHA, he has recognized the importance of serving as a mentor to the younger members in the organization.
Taylor Belle Matheny is the 22-year-old daughter of Andrew and Suzanne Matheny and serves as the chairman of the NJHA. She is currently a graduate student at Texas Tech University studying agricultural communications. During her time earning a bachelor’s degree at Kansas State University, Taylor Belle was very active on campus and served as an ambassador for the College of Agriculture. This position allowed her to interact with prospective students and ultimately led her to discover her passion for student recruitment and finding her assistantship at Texas Tech.
Lauren McMillan is a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in agriculture leadership. The 18-year-old daughter of Kyle and Jodi McMillan has a true passion for the Hereford breed and its members. As an active member in the NJHA, she strives to be a mentor for younger members. She has attended every Faces of Leadership Conference since she became age eligible and credits this experience in helping her make life-long friends and broadening her perspective on how diverse the agriculture industry is.
Dixie Miller is a junior studying animal science and agricultural communications at the University of Arkansas (U of A). She is the 21-year-old daughter of Christy Westlin. Dixie has been an active member of the NJHA and has served as an ambassador for JNHE and has attended the Faces of Leadership Conference. Dixie was selected as the 2019 Hutchinson Community College Young Female Kansan of the Year while she finished up her junior college livestock judging career. During her time at the U of A, she is serving as an office assistant for the animal science department.
Regan Mitchem is the daughter of Wayne and Crystal Mitchem. The 18-year-old freshman at North Carolina State University is majoring in animal science with plans to attend veterinary school. Regan was a 2019 NJHA Junior Golden Bull recipient and in 2018 earned first place in the intermediate illustrated speech contest at the JNHE. She is also a member of the 2019 North Carolina State 4-H Livestock Judging Team.
Bailey Morrell is currently a sophomore at Colorado State University double majoring in agricultural education with an agricultural literacy concentration and a political science with an environmental policy concentration. The daughter of Barry and Carrie Morrell has held internships with the California Cattlemen’s Association and Ranchers Connecting Ranchers and was recently elected to the NJHA board. She plans to pursue a career as an agricultural lawyer and to help give farmers and ranchers a voice and to ensure their rights are not infringed upon.
Katie Nolles is the daughter of Mike and Trudy Nolles. She is an agricultural education major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has served as a National Hereford Queen and a past Nebraska State FFA vice president. Katie plans to pursue a master’s program in school counseling or curriculum design. With her degree, she hopes to inspire the next generation of agriculturists and is excited to serve students in rural communities.
Abbygail Pitstick is currently attending Wilmington College, is the daughter of Neil and Elizabeth Pitstick. The 19-year-old sophomore is majoring in animal science. While at school, she maintains an integral role in her family’s cattle operation. Abbygail served as the 2018 National Hereford Queen and recently interned with The Showtimes magazine for its Blackout 7 show. Abbygail plans on furthering her education and pursuing a master’s degree in animal nutrition.
Harley Rogers is the 22-year-old daughter of Keith and Cindy Rogers. Harley is currently at Texas A&M University, majoring in animal science and is finishing her collegiate livestock judging career. She has served as president for the Texas Junior Polled Hereford Association and has been a member of the NJHA for 17 years. This past summer, Harley worked for Integrated Breeders Service, a bull stud and semen storage and shipping facility.
Kira Sayre is an equine science major at Colorado State University. The 18-year-old daughter of Tim and Tracie Sayre grew up raising Hereford cattle on her family’s farm. Kira served as a state director for the Illinois Junior Hereford Association. She was also a member of the winning Senior Hereford Bowl team at the 2019 JNHE. In the future, Kira would like to combine her love for Herefords and horses and work on a beef and equine operation.
Peyton Schmitt is a student at Iowa State University, majoring in agriculture and life sciences education with a communications option. The 21-year-old daughter of Ron and Karin Schmitt is passionate about sharing the story of agriculture with consumers and hopes to serve as an advocate for the agriculture industry. This passion led Peyton to a position with the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers as a communications intern this past summer.
Abigail Spindle is the 20-year-old daughter of Tom and Becky Spindle. Currently she is a junior at Texas Tech University, studying agriculture economics. Abigail has grown up in the cattle industry and has a passion for Herefords. She is serving as the financial chairman for the NJHA and is a member of the Texas Tech livestock judging team. Once she graduates, she plans to pursue a career as an agricultural loan officer or insurance adjuster, while helping her family’s ranch continue to grow.
Hannah Williams is the daughter of Jim and Sheila Williams and Aaron and Angie Kelly. The 20-year-old student at Kansas State University is studying animal science and has competed on the university’s meat judging and quiz bowl teams. She currently serves as the communications chairman for the NJHA board and has attended the Faces of Leadership Conference. Hannah hopes her past experiences and upcoming goals will assist in her future career in agriculture and make her a better advocate for the agriculture industry.
Rusty Wolf is a freshman majoring in animal science at the University of Kentucky. Rusty grew up raising and showing cattle and was an active member in his 4-H club and FFA chapter. He served as an intern for the Campbell County Cooperative Extension Office under the agriculture and natural resources agent. This internship sparked Rusty’s interest in becoming an agriculture and natural resource Extension agent.
