MADISON, Wis. —  The Certified Hereford Beef ^® (CHB) Cooking Challenge  allows National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members to showcase their culinary talents by preparing an original dish featuring Hereford beef. Participants submitted video entries of their home-cooked entries before the VitaFerm^® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) officially kicked off in Madison, Wis. The top-placing exhibitors were honored during the Buckle and Awards Ceremony held Wednesday, July 8.

The CHB Cooking Challenge encourages NJHA members to demonstrate their creativity, communication skills and proper beef handling practices as they prepare a unique dish featuring CHB during their own cooking show. Participants earned points for showmanship, originality, recipe execution and overall presentation. Judges also evaluated each exhibitor’s ability to effectively explain CHB products, demonstrate food safety knowledge and incorporate CHB cuts into their recipes, while showcasing both culinary skill and product understanding. 

The senior division winner is Devon Lockhart, Caldwell, Texas, with her chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and okra. A winning combination of product knowledge and a show-stopping presentation set her apart and secured her the top spot. 

Other results are as follows:

Peewee
1st place: Nora Werk, Herman, Minn.
2nd place: Mila Perez, Canyon, Texas
3rd place: Emmett Acheson, Wichita, Kan.

Junior
1st place: Cooper Acheson, Wichita, Kan.
2nd place: Braxton Lockhart, Caldwell, Texas
3rd place: Jack Schell, Hartford, Wis.

Intermediate 
1st Place: Sedona Sifford, Goldvein, Va. 
2nd Place: Jarrett Worrell, Mason, Texas 
3rd Place: Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla. 

Senior
1st Place: Devon Lockhart, Caldwell, Texas
2nd Place: Katy Belles, Spangle, Wash. 

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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.

Find the press release and photo here.