The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is making preparations for us all to be “Live from Louisville,” this summer in Kentucky. A successful Sale of Champions has positioned the 2025 Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) to be a Best of the Barns event and the NJHA can’t wait to come together as the Hereford family with you. The rules and health regulations for all JNHE contests and cattle are live online. Make sure to go check out the JNHE Resources page to stay up to date and start practicing for the contests this summer.

Applications for the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) Spring Scholarships and other prestigious awards that will be presented at the JNHE are due on April 15. Also due by this deadline is the opportunity to apply to compete for Team USA in the Young Breeders Competition during the World Hereford Conference in October.

The month of April starts with the 2025 class of juniors joining us in Desdemona, Texas, for the BOLD Leadership Conference on April 3-6, and the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day, April 12, in Scott City, Kan. Make sure to RSVP by today for proper counts for meals and other items.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE JNHE

From the Hereford Youth Foundation of America, the National Junior Hereford Association and the Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE), we can’t thank the donors, supporters and buyers enough for one of the most successful Sale of Champions to date. Again, we thank everyone for the support and we can’t wait to be “Live from Louisville,” July 12-18, 2025!

If you want to continue supporting the JNHE and didn’t get a chance to participate in the Sale of Champions, there are still a few remaining sponsorship opportunities to take advantage of. These would include a few final bred-and-owned steer show, cow-calf pair and owned polled female divisions sponsorships. If you are interested in supporting please email Bailey Clanton at bclanton@hereford.org.

REPRESENT TEAM USA

A rare and exciting opportunity for Hereford juniors and even young adult American Hereford Association (AHA) members is coming right around the corner. The World Hereford Conference takes place once every four years, and this year will be coming to Kansas City, Oct. 22-26, in conjunction with the National Hereford Show at the American Royal Livestock Show. Alongside this conference is the Young Breeders Competition, hosted in Manhattan, Kan., and gets underway on Oct. 19.

Within the Young Breeders Competition, countries have the option of sponsoring a team that will represent their knowledge and skills in the Hereford breed and agriculture industry. Team USA will represent the most talented youth our country has to offer and thanks to grants made possible by the Hereford Youth Foundation of America, applications to be a part of this global competition at Kansas State University are being accepted now.

Contestants must be between the ages of 18-26 years old and be a member of either the NJHA or the AHA, and teams will be made up of four competitors. Apply to be on Team USA by April 15, and represent the country in a global competition. If you do not wish to compete, but still want to attend the World Hereford Conference and the accompanying tours and events, you can learn more at https://www.worldherefordconference.com/.

JOIN THE NJHA MEET-UP IN SCOTT CITY

We are excited to announce that the NJHA Meet Up, Powered by Sure Champ, is coming to the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day. The 2025 Field Day is scheduled for April 11-12, in Scott City, Kan., at HRC Feed Yards. The NJHA Board of Directors and our friends at Sure Champ will be hosting a Meet Up for all the junior members in attendance. This will be a chance for all ages to build your networks as we Live It, Love It and Lead It at the NJHA Meet Up.

For the second year, the field day has expanded to offer an open house on Friday afternoon and evening, with time set aside for a one-on-one experience viewing your cattle on feed in the yards and plenty of time to ask questions. After the open house at the feed yard, we invite you all to join us in Scott City for a Certified Hereford Beef Burger fry and the chance to interact with other junior cattle feeders and industry friends.

The RSVP for the event is available now, and we ask that you please RSVP by April 1 to ensure proper head counts for meals.

LIVE FROM LOUISVILLE UPDATES

The 2025 VitaFerm® JNHE is “Live from Louisville” this summer in Louisville, Ky., July 12-18. We are so excited to welcome Hereford families from across the country to join us for the event of the summer and an event that was just voted as Best of the Barns by its peers.

Entries for the 2025 show as well as contest entries and registration will go live later this month and the early bird deadline is slated for May 15.

Show rules, judges, contest information and a tentative schedule are all available online. Please make sure to look at the JNHE Resources page to find all details and information as the countdown is on until July.

JNHE RULE ALERTS

The 2025 VitaFerm® JNHE reminds all steer exhibitors that, all steers will be required to be parent verified to both sire and dam, therefore, a DNA profile of the steer, the sire and dam must be completed through the official AHA lab by entry deadline. DNA requests can be made through MyHerd, by emailing aha@hereford.org, or by calling into customer service at (816) 842-3757.

It’s spring and due to the abnormally high volume of hair samples being submitted, the lab is now expecting an increase in the turnaround time of hair samples being processed as well. If you are submitting a hair sample, please expect a turnaround time of 6–8 weeks instead of the normal 3–4 weeks.

Tissue, blood and semen samples are not being affected by this and are still on the normal 3–4 weeks turnaround time (unless the additional MD/DB testing is being done, then please add another week to this time).

Please plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of time to get your DNA samples processed.

The JNHE wants to remind exhibitors the rules are available to view online. Please note, entries submitted prior to the Early Bird deadline of May 15 with animals not meeting the entry requirements will be put on hold and will be charged an additional $20.”

DATES & DEADLINES

NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day RSVP 
April 1, 2025
RSVP

BOLD Leadership Conference
April 3-6, 2025
Follow Along

NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day
April 12, 2025
Follow Along

Team USA Young Breeders Competition Application Deadline 
April 15, 2025
Apply Today

HYFA Spring Scholarship Application Deadline 
April 15, 2025
Apply Today

Junior Golden Bull & Prospect Award Application Deadline 
April 15, 2025
Apply Today

Junior National Hereford Expo Earlybird Entry Deadline
May 15, 20245
Entries Coming Soon