Left to right: Charlene Elliot, Naomi Best and Kodie Doetzel
Rocky View County, AB – Canadian Junior Angus presented three juniors with scholarships totaling $4,500 at the 20th annual Showdown in Barriere, BC. Kodie Doetzel of Lipton, SK received the first-place scholarship of $2,000; Naomi Best of Harding, MB received the second-place scholarship of $1,500; and Charlene Elliot of Kenilworth, ON received the third-place scholarship of $1,000. The scholarships were presented at Showdown, the annual national Canadian Junior Angus show.
Doetzel won the Spirit of Youth Award at Showdown. He will soon begin his second year of a general agriculture course at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas where he is a member of the HCC Livestock Judging Team. He intends to pursue a career as a commercial order buyer and continue working on his family farm, Nu-Horizon Angus, when he completes his education. Doetzel served for several years on the Saskatchewan Junior Angus Board and has sat on the Saskatchewan Angus Association Board of Directors for two years.
Best is entering her third year of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program at the University of Saskatchewan. She intends to return to rural Manitoba when she completes her degree and pursue a career in agriculture finance. Over the last three years she has worked to reboot the Manitoba Junior Angus program. Best is also a member of the University of Saskatchewan Livestock Judging Team and Beef Team as well as a volunteer coach with Skate Saskatoon CanSkate Program.
Elliot received the Dick Turner memorial scholarship award at the Canadian Angus Association Annual National Convention last month. She attends the University of Guelph and is in the third year of a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Her career goal is to be a large animal feed specialist with a focus on beef and dairy while continuing to work on her family farm. She is also President of the Ontario Junior Angus Association and serves on the Ontario Angus Association Board of Directors.
Canadian Junior Angus (CJA) is the national association for Angus youth up to age 21. CJA’s goal is to help prepare future cattlemen for the beef industry by educating and informing juniors about the Angus industry.
Showdown began in 2000 as way for juniors from across the nation to gather in one location to exhibit their Angus cattle in conformation divisions. It rotates to provinces throughout the country every July. This year 111 participants and 112 head of cattle took part in Showdown in Barriere, BC. There have been many different activities and contests added over the years with 16 competitions now available including print marketing, sales talk, judging, team judging, team grooming, photography, literature, art, scrapbooking, graphic design, farm sign, public speaking, Angus cook-off, best herdsman, showmanship, and conformation as the current competitions.