Grand Island, Neb. –  Certified Hereford Beef^®(CHB) and National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members were in the spotlight during the Certified Hereford Beef  Cooking Challenge.  The CHB Cooking Challenge allows young people to compete with a cooking video documenting how they created their homemade dish starring Hereford beef at the center of the plate. The entries are submitted and evaluated before the VitaFerm^®Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE), but the top-placing exhibitors were honored during the Wednesday, July 10, Buckle and Awards Ceremony in Grand Island, Neb. 

The CHB Cooking Challenge encourages creativity, communication and beef handling safety while NJHA members film their own Hereford beef based cooking show. Points are earned for showmanship, creativity, presentation of the dish, use of recipe and explanation. Exhibitors were also judged based on their ability to communicate and explain CHB products and food safety, along with their use of CHB cuts in recipes and general knowledge. 

Each participant prepared a unique dish featuring CHB. The senior division winner of the CHB Cooking Challenge was Brook Aue, Auburndale, Wis. Her dish, smoked Certified Hereford Beef rub roast with homemade bread and mashed potatoes, was one of the judge’s top picks. Her knowledge of CHB and the Hereford breed coupled with an outstanding presentation, sealed the win. 

Peewee

1st place: Braxton Lockhart, Caldwell, Texas

2nd place: Brecken Eatherton, Castle Rock, Wash. 

3rd place: Cooper Acheson, Wichita, Kan. 

Junior

1st place: Sedona Sifford, Goldvein, Va. 

2nd place: Aubrey Lockhart, Somerville, Texas 

3rd place: Jarrett Worrell, Mason, Texas 

Intermediate 

1st Place: Katy Belles, Spangle, Wash.

2nd Place: Brogan Keltner, Pearl City, Ill. 

Senior

1st Place: Brooke Aue, Auburmdale, Wis.

2nd Place: Devon Lockhart, Caldwell, Texas 

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The 2024 VitaFerm^®Junior National Hereford Expo, “The Grand Daddy of ’Em All,” was sponsored in part by BioZyme Inc., St. Joseph, Mo. The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is one of the most active junior programs in the country with more than 4,000 members. The NJHA’s mission is to create and promote enthusiasm for the breed while providing opportunities through leadership, education and teamwork. For more information about the NJHA, visit JrHereford.org.