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 96 junior participants in 24 states — from California to Pennsylvania — which entered 281 head of Hereford and Hereford-influenced steers. The 2025 winners received more than $15,000 in scholarships and awards from the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA). The awards were presented at the 2025 World Hereford Conference coinciding with the American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 24., during the Shaping the Breed’s Future: Young Breeders Competition and HYFA Scholarship Awards Luncheon presented by VitaFerm^®. 

Each year, the Shootout’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. 

Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla., was named the Contestant of the Year in the junior division, and Joseph Schohr, Oroville, Calif., 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: 

• Rhett Blume, Pierre, S.D. 
• Jackson Chastain, Arlington, Texas 
• Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla.

Contestant of the Year – Top Three Finalists – Senior Division: 

• Joseph Schohr, Oroville, Calif. 
• Jorja Ebert, Polo, Mo. 
• Beau Ann Graves, Chillicothe, Mo. 

Cattle Awards went to: 

• Overall Champion Steer – Justis Cant, Imbler, Ore. 
• Champion Pen-of-Three Purebred Steers – Teegan and Tiernan Frederickson, Spearfish, S.D. 
• Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three Purebred Steers – Jackson and Griffin Chastain, Arlington, Texas 
• Champion Individual Purebred Steer – Justis Cant, Imbler, Ore. 
• Reserve Champion Individual Purebred Steer – Wyatt Wichman, Moore, Mont. Champion Pen-of-Three Commercial Steers – Jackson and Griffin Chastain, Arlington, Texas 
• Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three Commercial Steers – Suter Clark, Gretna, Va. 
• Champion Individual Commercial Steer – Tava Gustafson, Junction City, Kan. Reserve Champion Individual Commercial Steer – Rylie Larson, Lacrosse, Kan. 
• Special recognition awards went to: 
• Highest Marbling Score Purebred Division – Matthew Elzemeyer, Richmond, Ind. Highest Marbling Score Commercial Division – Jackson and Griffin Chastain, Arlington, Texas 
• Highest Average Daily Gain Purebred Division – Justis Cant, Imbler, Ore. 
• Highest Average Daily Gain Commercial Division – Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla. 

About the contest: 

Contestants in the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout gained hands-on experience collecting feedyard performance and carcass data on individual and pen-of-three Hereford and Hereford-influence steer entries. Participants expanded their knowledge of animal health, nutrition, and marketing while feeding their steers at HRC Feed Yards in Scott City, Kan. Their entries were harvested at National Beef Packing Co. in Dodge City, Kan., as potential candidates for the Certified Hereford Beef^® brand. 

This industry-leading program is made possible through support from Merck Animal Health, Allflex Livestock Intelligence and Cargill Inc., as well as generous sponsors like Texas Stardance Cattle and Bar One Ranch. 

To test their skills, contestants submitted performance portfolios, which analyzed data reports from the feeding period and summarized what they learned. The top three junior and senior division finalists advanced to compete for the prestigious NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Contestant of the Year title, in both the junior and senior divisions. 

The Fed Steer Shootout offers young people an unparalleled opportunity to experience the beef industry in real-world scenarios. Entries for the 2026 contest are due Nov. 1, 2025. Past participants have found the knowledge gained through the program to be invaluable, even when they had to transport steers long distances to enter.  The 2026 Fed Steer Shootout Field Day is set for April 17–18, 2026, and the event is open to all juniors and families. 

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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.