The American Junior Shorthorn Association (AJSA) will host the “Shorthorn Safari” National Junior Shorthorn Show & Youth Conference June 20-26, 2021, at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Ky.
This year, a record breaking 932 entries will be exhibited in Louisville. Over 450 Junior Members from 28 states have entered Junior Nationals. In totality, these numbers are a significant increase over previous years.
“The NJSS is such an important event for the youth and future of the agricultural industry, so it is exciting to see how our show grows each year”, says Shelby Diehm, Director of Marketing, Communications and Youth Activities. “In the last five years we have more than 100 additional youth participating, and cattle numbers have risen even more. I can’t wait to see where it continues to go.”
The AJSA strives to engage its members in opportunities that develop character, promote valuable skills and build life-long friendships. The National Junior Shorthorn Show & Youth Conference promotes these goals by bringing members together to participate in shows and educational contests.
This year, junior members will participate in the following contests in addition to the Shorthorn Show: Art & etc., beef cook-off, career development, cattleman’s written test, digital photography, graphic design, herdsman quiz bowl, junior herdsman, livestock judging, photography, promotional poster, showmanship, speech, state basket, state cook-off/tailgate party, team fitting and team salesmanship contests. High Point Awards will be presented based on participation and placing in these contests.
In addition, $18,500 in scholarships will be presented to AJSA members through the Shorthorn Foundation.
Election of four new AJSA Directors will occur during the Junior National Youth Conference. Three of the elected directors will serve a three-year term and one will serve a one-year term to make up the nine-person board. The election process is based on application, interview, and delegation vote.