Six Tennessee students were awarded the Youth Beef Heifer Initiative Scholarship, sponsored by the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association (TCA) and Farm Credit Mid-America. They received this award at the TCA Alltech/Kubota Youth Awards banquet during the annual Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Convention & Trade Show, Jan. 28-29 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
The Heifer Initiative focuses on cost-sharing of beef cattle for youth. First place winners of each age division are awarded $2,000 and belt buckle sponsored by the University of Tennessee Animal Science, and the second-place winners are awarded $1,000.
“The heifer scholarship initiative is one of the most rewarding programs our association offers to youth,” said Melinda Perkins, TCA Director of Youth Programs and Outreach. “We are able to help the future leaders of our industry by offsetting the cost of purchasing a heifer. This is just one way we can help them get off to the right start in our industry. We are grateful to partner with Farm Credit Mid-America on the heifer scholarship program again this year.”
Bryli Bivens of Monroe County won first place in the Youth Division and Maggie Potter of Bledsoe County placed second. Avery Rowlett of Wayne County won first place in the Junior High Division and Ellie Hensley of Unicoi County placed second. Evan Jackson of Benton County won first place in the Senior High Division and Kimber Cook of Bedford County placed second.
“I am honored and thankful to win the heifer scholarship,” said Evan Jackson, senior high winner from Benton County. “It will give me the opportunity to purchase a heifer that will hopefully be a high-quality show heifer and a cornerstone for a future breeding program.”
This scholarship money is to be put towards the purchase of a beef heifer of their choice from a Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association member within one year of receiving the funds. There are three age divisions: Youth, Junior High, and Senior High.
Avery Rowlett, junior high winner from Wayne County said, “I plan to expand my herd of Chianina influenced cattle by purchasing a heifer to show at the local, state, and national levels, and then add her to my cow herd of elite genetics. Thank you, TCA and Farm Credit, for this opportunity!”
The application for the 2022 Beef Heifer Initiative Scholarship will be available in the fall of 2022.
TCA was founded in 1985 and has more than 7,000 members from across the state and the southeast. The organization works to provide the cattlemen of Tennessee with an organization through which they may function collectively to protect their interests and work toward the solution of cattle industry problems and to build the necessary goodwill that will bring both governmental esteem and recognition to the industry.
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