Agriculture’s investment in the future was the key theme at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Nearly everything that took place during the 16-day show had youth involved in some way. Across the cattle, sheep and pig sectors there were hundreds of classes solely for young members, creating a vibrant social hub.

Numerous sales took place across the event, offering scholarships for young breeders. A highly successful private sale, Embryos on Snow, which offered majority embryo and semen lots, grossed a massive $1.58m. The sale offers scholarships of $10,000 for the winner and $3,000 for the runner-up. Teenagers have to prepare an essay, with the top few making it to an interview stage.

And this is really only the tip of the iceberg.

The Angus society is the biggest of all breeds in the US, with nearly 300,000 registrations across 25,000 breeders. The Angus foundation was established in 1980 and focuses on supporting Angus education, youth and research. Each year a notable herd donates an elite female to be auctioned at the National Western to generate funds. This year’s female sold for $65,000. A number of confirmed pregnancies also sold, which contributed a further $62,500, raising a combined $127,500 for the Angus youth programme. The organisation has distributed more than $2.9m in youth scholarships since 1998, and has also invested more than $1.3m in beef cattle research throughout the past decade.

National Western stock show

Donation

A similar programme was run by the Hereford society, with the donated heifer LCC 6964 Queen Bee sold for $120,000. The Hereford Youth Foundation of America has raised a total of $890,000 for its programme at Denver in the last decade. This programme recognises and rewards the development of life skills and values in the next generation.

The National Western Livestock Show itself donates over $500,000 in scholarships to agriculture, rural medicine and veterinary science students.

Most of this money is accumulated in the junior livestock market held on the last day of the event.

Of the thousands of junior market animals that compete at the show each year, only 96 of the very best qualify for the Auction of Junior Livestock Champions. The auction is the final marketplace for the ribbon-winning steers, lambs, hogs and goats that were raised by junior exhibitors, 4-H and FFA youngsters ranging in age from nine to 18.

Usually the highest-selling lots are that of the grand champion and reserve grand champion in the catch-a-calf competition.

The National Western Livestock Show itself donates over $500,000 in scholarships to agriculture, rural medicine and veterinary science students.

This competition involves two shows. The first year, participants must catch a calf during one of the National Western Stock Show Rodeo performances. The 40 successful contestants then return in May to receive their project, which they are required to feed and care for until the following year’s stock show. The programme has more than 50 sponsors which contribute to the initial cost of the calves and are then aligned to one of the successful candidates.

Each month, as well as filling out reports, participants send a letter to their sponsor telling them about their project. At the following year’s show, the participants and their calves return. Participants turn in their completed record books, give a two-minute industry-related speech, complete an interview with a panel of judges, and show their steers in a showmanship class and live evaluation which is based on their rate of gain, appearance and carcase. Following this, an awards ceremony is held.

Since its inception, the Trust has awarded more than 3,000 scholarships and grown to over $10m.

The 2019 grand champion sold for a massive $150,000 with the reserve making $90,000.

Ninety per cent of this price goes to the young member, with the remaining 10% going to the National Western scholarship trust, which also collects 10% of the remaining 40 animals which are paid market price.

Since its inception, the Trust has awarded more than 3,000 scholarships and grown to over $10m. Most of these bids come from past recipients or agricultural businesses.

The money generated for youth participants in the US is massive and, although here in Ireland we have seen great strides being made in recent years with initiatives like the Irish Angus producer group schools competition and Irish Hereford bursary competition, there is still a lot more that can be done here.