October 29, 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout teaches young people about the cattle feeding industry. HRC Feed Yards LLC, Scott City, Kan., hosts the annual event. This year the …
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout teaches young people about the cattle feeding industry. HRC Feed Yards LLC, Scott City, Kan., hosts the annual event. This year the Fed Steer Shootout attracted 72 junior participants in 20 states — from California to Pennsylvania — which entered 211 head of Hereford and Hereford-influenced steers. The 2024 winners received more than $15,000 in cash prizes and awards from the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) on Oct. 25 during the American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Membership Meeting and Conference in Kansas City, Mo.
Each year, the feedout’s cattle performance awards are recognized alongside the top three junior members, in both the junior and senior age divisions, for their efforts and knowledge of the cattle feeding industry. Those top three participants in each age division gave a speech and were interviewed by a panel of judges to determine the final placing.
Abigail (Billing) Vander Groef, Newton, N.J., was named the 2023 Contestant of the Year in the senior division. Last year was her first time participating, and her last chance to place in the Fed Steer Shootout as it was also her final year of junior membership. “I wish I did it sooner,” Vander Groef said. “I wish I knew I had the opportunity to do it sooner because it really changed a lot of things for me.”
Long-time participant in the program, Jarett Worrell, Mason, Texas, explains he already understands the value of gaining real-world experience, despite his young age. This contest helped him take advantage of all the opportunities the Fed Steer Shootout presents NJHA members to learn more about the cattle feeding industry and their herd’s genetics and performance. While Worrell enjoys selecting steers, monitoring performance and attending the field day, he is also quick to point out the career skills he builds by completing the Fed Steer Shootout performance portfolio.
This year Jarrett Worrell, Mason, Texas, was named the contestant of the year in the junior division, and Jordan Mitchem, Vale, N.C., earned the contestant of the year title in the senior division.
This year’s award winners are:
Contestant of the Year – Top Three Finalists – Junior Division:
Cooper Acheson, Wichita, Kan.
Jackson Chastain, Arlington, Texas
Jarrett Worrell, Mason, Texas
Contestant of the Year – Top Three Finalists – Senior Division:
Jayna Blume, Pierre, S.D.
Jordan Mitchem, Vale, N.C.
Pecos Worrell, Harper, Texas
Cattle Awards went to:
Overall Champion Steer – Jarrett Worrell, Mason, Texas
Champion Pen of Three Purebred Steers – Tara Hausner, Thomasville, Pa.
Reserve Champion Pen of Three Purebred Steers – Teegan and Tiernan Frederickson, Spearfish, S.D.
Champion Individual Purebred Steer – Lauren Jones, Darlington, Wis.
Reserve Champion Individual Purebred Steer – Cricket Collins, Frederick, Okla.
Champion Pen of Three Commercial Steers – Ryan Pribil, Hennessey, Okla.
Reserve Champion Pen of Three Commercial Steers – Ryan Pribil, Hennessey, Okla.
Champion Individual Commercial Steer – Hayden Hoffman, Thedford, Neb.
Reserve Champion Individual Commercial Steer – Adalyn Schurr, Maywood, Neb.
Special recognition awards went to:
Highest Marbling Score Purebred Division – Jayda Cant, Imbler, Ore.
Highest Marbling Score Commercial Division – Jarrett Worrell, Mason, Texas
Highest Average Daily Gain Purebred Division – Lauren Jones, Darlington, Wis.
Highest Average Daily Gain Commercial Division – Hayden Hoffman, Thedford, Neb.
About the contest:
Contestants collected feedyard performance and carcass data on their pen of three and individual entries of Hereford and commercial Hereford-influenced steers, while gaining comprehensive industry knowledge on topics such as animal health, nutrition and marketing. All steers were fed at HRC Feed Yards, Scott City, Kan., and were hauled to and harvested at National Beef Packing Co. in Dodge City, Kan., as candidates for the Certified Hereford Beef® brand. Industry partners such as Merck Animal Health, Allflex Livestock Intelligence and NEOGEN played a vital role in the success of the program as well as involvement from Cargill Inc. in the educational portion of the program and generous sponsors such as Texas Stardance Cattle and Bar One Ranch.
Furthermore, contestants entered performance portfolios responding to questions regarding the data reports they received throughout the feeding period and summarizing what they learned while participating in the program. The top three contestants, in both the junior and senior divisions, were selected from the submitted portfolios. These finalists had the opportunity to compete for the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Contestant of the Year title.
The NJHA Fed Steer Shootout holds enormous potential to grow your knowledge and understanding of the beef industry through real-world situations. Nov. 1, 2024, is the entry deadline for the NJHA 2025 Fed Steer Shootout, and as these juniors testify, it’s worth it even if it means shipping a steer 23 hours or purchasing some to send. Regardless of participation in the feedout program, all juniors and families are encouraged to attend the annual NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day April 11-12, 2025.
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The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is one of the largest, strongest and most active junior cattle programs in the country. Over the years, members of this association have gone on to earn international and domestic respect as models for youth organizational success. The NJHA, through its extensive educational programs, continues to lay the foundation for the beef industry’s future leaders. The traditions of the past coupled with the energy of today’s board of directors have created a progressive approach to further develop a meaningful and educational association focus.