Prior to the National Hereford Bull Show at the 2021 American Royal hosted in Kansas City, Mo., Lauren Gatz, Fairview, Kan., was selected to represent the breed as the 2022 National Hereford Queen. Seven state queens from across the country represented their respective state with the goal of being selected as the National Hereford Queen. Gatz is a freshman at Kansas State University majoring in agricultural communications and journalism. Her first official event as the National Hereford Queen will be at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky. 

The National Hereford Queen attends events, shows and sales, along with attending the Junior National Hereford Expo presenting awards and assisting with ring presentations. This young lady  is an icon of breed queens as she is dawned in a white dress, boots, statement sash and classic crown. The National Hereford Women support this program and in conjunction with the Hereford Youth Foundation of America, the queen will receive $10,000 in scholarship to support her future education.

In the National Hereford Show, BR Merida H031 ET and KJ TWJ 907E Liberty 159H ET won the grand champion titles at the 2021 American Royal on Oct. 24 in Kansas City, Mo. Judge Tom Hawk, Earlville, Ill., sorted 132 females and 38 bulls.

In the female show, grand champion honors went to BR Merida H031 ET, owned by Bryden Barber of Channing, Texas. She was first named champion spring yearling female and is a March 21, 2020, daughter of UPS Sensation 2296 ET. 

Reserve grand champion female honors were awarded to DPH 109 6129 Jessie 2033 ET, owned by Saylor Douglas, Merit, Texas. The Sept. 4, 2020, daughter of CRR 719 Catapult 109 was first named champion senior heifer calf.

When discussing the first two powerful classes of fall yearling females, judge Tom Hawk said, “I’ve been judging these national shows for 25 years, and we haven’t seen this in a while, these are rockin’ good females.”

Grand champion bull honors went to Ben Jensen, Courtland, Kan., Bar A Cattle Company, Nocona, Texas, and TWJ Farm, Carroll, Neb., with KJ TWJ 907E Liberty 159H ET. The Sept. 2, 2020, bull is sired by KJ BJ Leader 182F and first took champion senior bull calf honors. 

Reserve grand champion bull honors went to Purple Reign Cattle Company, Toulon, Ill., with Purple HB Gringo 144H ET. He is a Nov. 2, 2020, son of HAPP BK Valor 37C ET. He first won reserve champion senior bull calf honors.

Lauren, Brady and Nicholas Jones, Darlington, Wis., exhibited the champion cow-calf pair, MF 308N Caitlin 13C ET. The cow is a March 22, 2015, daughter of BR Currency 8144 ET. The reserve champion cow-calf pair, THA 190Z Trinity J614, was exhibited by Triple H Acres, Miller, Mo. The cow is Sept. 4, 2016, daughter of NJW 78P TwentyTwelve 190Z ET.

Following the selection of the champions, Purple Reign Cattle Company won premier breeder, and Lauren Jones won premier exhibitor.