MADISON, Wis. — Six Prospect Award recipients were announced at 2026 VitaFerm^® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) Scholarship, Award and Maroon Jacket Ceremony July 9 in Madison, Wis. The Prospect Award honors junior members who are engaged in the Hereford breed and agricultural industry, with active participation in their schools and communities. It is awarded to the most committed and involved students in third through eighth grades. 

Through this award program, young people demonstrate their dedication in the showring and beyond, while gaining professional skills they will use outside of their junior show career.

“The Prospect and Junior Golden Bull Award awards are the first step in building your Hereford resume and are key to setting younger members up for success as they grow up through the program,” says Amy Cowan, American Hereford Association director of youth activities and foundation. “It is fun to see the younger generation starting to make a difference in their communities and state Hereford organizations. I have no doubt we will continue to see these names year after year, as they grow in their NJHA careers.”

The 2026 award winners are as follows:

Whitten Scarpinato, Mason, Texas, is the third-grade winner. He is active in the Junior Hereford Association of Texas. He has shown across the state of Texas and competed in both state and national contests to help him grow as an individual.

“These types of experiences will help me learn the basic fundamentals to life as well as other aspects that are not associated with cattle,” Scarpinato says. “I have loved showing and participating in the contest as well as meeting new friends. I am excited to see what else there is to do as I get older.”

Levi Mobley, Campbellsburg, Ky. is the fourth-grade winner. He is 10 years old and already a director with the Kentucky Junior Hereford Association. He has shown and competed at both the state and national level ever since he joined the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA), taking home the honors for second-high peewee judging team at the 2025 JNHE.

“I would love to one day bring home banners and buckles and to promote my farm name with confidence and trust,” Mobley says. “I am currently involved in my local 4-H livestock, skillathon and judging teams with hopes to learn as much as I can to help me improve.” 

Cooper Acheson, Wichita, Kan., is the fifth-grade winner. Acheson has been a member of both his state and national association for four years. He takes great pride in his Hereford cattle and wants to represent the breed to the highest level at all events and programs he attends.

Acheson is very involved in the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout, sending cattle to the feedlot that he can follow through the entire process, from pasture to plate. He has also attended the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day for the last three years.

“When I grow up, I want to play in the NFL and raise Hereford cattle. The teamwork and leadership skills I’m learning through the NJHA will help me be a good teammate,” Acheson says. “Everything I’m learning now will also help me raise cattle on my own someday and continue the Hereford tradition. I hope that by playing in the NFL, I can also help promote Hereford cattle and make our breed even stronger.

Cache Billman, Rigby, Idaho, is the sixth-grade winner. Billman is 12 years old and has been a member of both the NJHA and the Idaho Junior Hereford Association for six years, participating in his first JNHE in 2022. 

A fifth-generation Hereford breeder, Billman wants to continue his family’s tradition of raising and showing quality Hereford cattle. He is considering running for the NJHA board of directors in the future to give back to the organization.

“I know there is still a lot I need to learn to become a successful cattleman one day,” Billman says. “But, being involved in the junior association will help me with that. It gives me chances to learn from experienced breeders and understand more about genetics, herd management and the business side of cattle. I want to stay as involved as I can so I can keep getting better.”

Quaid McIntyre, Leedey, Okla., is the seventh-grade winner. He is involved both in and out of the showring. Now that he has reached eligibility in his state, he is excited to campaign for a director or officer position with the Junior Hereford Association of Oklahoma.

“I plan to continue showing Herefords and attending JNHE until I age out,” McIntyre says. “I know I am young, but right now, my plans are to graduate from high school and attend Oklahoma State University and do something in agriculture. My brother and I hope to run our own cattle operation together when we are older on our family’s land.”

Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla., is the eighth-grade winner. Collins recently finished serving as the 2025 Oklahoma Hereford Princess. She has also served as the Southwest area director for multiple years, helping raise money for the regional show and assisting with member activities.

“I am a fifth-generation Hereford rancher on my father’s side and a sixth-generation on my mother’s side,” Collins says. “I plan to raise my family through this breed and run for National Hereford Queen and the National Hereford Women board of directors.”

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The 2026 VitaFerm^®Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE), “The Hereford Masters in Madison,” was sponsored in part by BioZyme^® Inc., St. Joseph, Mo., and their brands VitaFerm and Sure Champ^®. The JNHE provides educational and leadership opportunities for junior members and their cattle projects, along with plenty of events for the entire family. The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is one of the most active junior programs in the country with more than 4,200 members. For more information about the JNHE, visit Hereford.org/youth.

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