Day 5 of the 2019 VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) was full of energy as showmen young and old headed to the ring to duel it out in the showmanship competition. The morning started with selecting the top 10 senior finalists as well as the junior, intermediate and peewee champions. The pre-peewees melted the hearts of all those ringside as they paraded their cattle through the ring.

Prior to the selection of the champion senior showman, the Sure Champ® Olympic games provided quality time to let off some steam after a long afternoon. Juniors competed in relay races and put on short group skits about using VitaFerm products in their herd.

Then it was time for the final showdown. With 45 minutes to fit their cattle, the top 10 seniors grabbed their clippers and got down to business. After National Junior Hereford Association chairman Austin Matheny gave the one-minute-warning, the showmen set out for the final drive. Judges Brandon and Rachel Cutrer, Wharton, Texas, and Matt Scasta, Madill, Okla., had their work cut out for them as they sorted the showmen from bottom to top. In the final moments, it came down to a battle between Austin Breeding, Miami, Texas, and Lauren May, Mineral Point, Wis., with Austin taking the championship honors.

It was a great end to a successful day, and the Hill is stirring with excitement in anticipation of tomorrow’s competitions. Stay tuned as cow-calf pairs, bred-and-owned heifers, bred-and-owned bulls and steers take to Stadium Arena tomorrow!

Please see the winners from today’s showmanship classes below.

Junior Division Results

Champion showman: Piper Colyer, Bruneau, Idaho

Reserve champion showman: Jase Beltz, Galva, Kan.

3rd place: Maddie Smith, Athens, Texas

4th place: Fallon Gohr, Madras, Ore.

5th place: Keyser Ottmers, Fredericksburg, Texas

6th place: Rylie Meinhardt, Marysville, Kan.

7th place: Cierra Collins, Chattanooga, Okla.

8th place: Dustin Denton, Blue Rapids, Kan.

9th place: Collin Deatsman, Leesburg, Ind.

10th place: Grady Carter, Stratford, Okla.

Peewee Division Results

Champion showman: Maddox Gunn, Greenfield, Ind.

Reserve champion showman: Layna Ottmers, Fredericksburg, Texas

3rd place: Kiera Bremer, Elmwood, Ill.

4th place: Karly Kolterman, Garland, Neb.

5th place: Roxton Stone, Stanton, Texas

6th place: Hadley Harrison, Montague, Calif.

7th place: Kylee Gaston, Bridgeport, Texas

8th place: Gunnar Gohr, Madras, Ore.

9th place: Kynsleigh Krebs, Gordon, Neb.

10th place: Kaisha Albers, Guide Rock, Neb.

Intermediate Division Results

Champion showman: Bryden Barber, Channing, Texas

Reserve champion showman: Tar Tut, Rushford, Minn.

3rd place: Jaden Elam, Fort Gibson, Okla.

4th place: Kaylee McInvale, Lockney, Texas

5th place: Madeline Braman, Refugio, Texas

6th place: Ian Forbes, Churchville, Maryland

7th place: Salem Sifford, Golden, Va.

8th place: Saige Ward, Laramie, Wyo.

9th place: Fletcher Larsen, Valentine, Neb.

10th place: Grant Helsinger, Germantown, Ohio

Senior Division Results

Champion showman: Austin Breeding, Miami, Texas

Reserve champion showman: Lauren May, Mineral Point, Wis.

3rd place: Shayne Myers, Colusa, Calif.

4th place: Austin Speck, Chehalis, Wash.

5th place: Brooklyn Adam, Lathrop, Mo.

6th place: Rylee Barber, Channing, Texas

7th place: Mason Allan, Schulenburg, Texas

8th place: Ben Jensen, Courtland, Kan.

9th place: Whitney Steckel, Taylor, Neb.

10th place: Lucas Stumpf, Columbia, Ill.