July 18, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Holly Martin, director of communications
816-383-5143
hmartin@angus.org
A Perfect Pairing: Junior Angus Breeders and Certified Angus Beef®
Juniors get creative, persuade judges to eat Certified at the 2024 National Junior Angus Show.
Junior Angus breeders translated their knowledge in the barn to the plate during the 2024 All-American Certified Angus Beef® Cook-Off. The competition has a four-decade history at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) and is an event favorite. The cook-off, put on by the American Angus Auxiliary, encourages young beef enthusiasts to learn more about the end product they are producing for consumers.
“It’s about your beef education; how these kids are going to prepare themselves for when their classmates ask questions about the industry or meat alternatives,” explained Karla Knapp, president of the American Angus Auxiliary.
Twenty-seven teams competed from 12 states on July 3 in Madison, Wisconsin and earned scores for recipe, showmanship and overall presentation. The teams pick from one of three categories of meat to come up with their own unique recipes and table settings. This year, Certified Angus Beef® cuts were Baseball Steaks (Sirloin), a Chuck Flap Roast or Frankfurters.
Claire Kuipers of Illinois is a seven-year participant in the program. She and her teammates learned how a seemingly small difference in cuts can make a big difference in the outcome of a recipe.
“When we first did a test cook of our recipe, we couldn’t find a chuck flap roast, so we tried it with a chuck roast,” Kuipers said. “It did not go over very well; it was very tough. When we tried it again with a chuck flap roast the recipe came out super tender and juicy.”
The cook-off also encourages participants to become better public speakers. Each team is tasked with writing and performing a creative skit which communicates the value and specifications used to qualify a carcass as Certified Angus Beef® and how those specifications elevate the beef eating experience.
State groups let their imagination take off with themes ranging from the Berenstain Bears and The Addams Family to the Kansas City Chiefs and Golden Girls.
“It helps you grow your confidence,” Kuipers said. “It is a way to practice public speaking without actually public speaking.”
While the long-standing competition has many real-world applications, Knapp says the part she and her fellow Auxiliary members appreciate most is the comradery they see among the junior members.
“They are having fun. There is lots of laughter and bonding,” Knapp said, as she looked around the exhibit hall. “They are making life-long friends; life-long connections.”
The teamwork paid off for many of the teams. Winners were announced Friday night of NJAS during an awards ceremony.
Champion in the steak division went to the Illinois senior team. Members include Ella Brooks of Prophetstown, Brenna Bartlow of Monticello, and Max Dameron of Lexington.
Champion in the roast division went to the Oklahoma junior team. Members include Denton Cook of Foss, Joseph Davis of Council Hill, Gracie Stonebarger of Council Hill, Bentley Lott of Carmen, Sadie Plagg of Guthrie and Saylor Norvell of Tuttle.
Champion in the frankfurter division went to the Louisiana intermediate team. Members include Eleanor Straney of Thibodaux, Amelia Straney of Thibodaux, Christian Corsentino of Denham Springs, Emma Lejune of Elton and Charli Boudreaux of Bel Rose.
Special awards include the Black Kettle Award, Ardyce’s Apron and Grote LEAD Award. The Black Kettle Award was established in memory of Paul St. Blanc, a supporter and long-time friend of the Cook-Off, and is given to the overall team. The 2024 Black Kettle Award went to the Illinois steak team.
Ardyce’s Apron was created in memory of Ardyce O’Neill, a past American Angus Auxiliary president who served as the contest’s first chairwoman. The award goes to the junior Cook-Off team with the highest point total. This year, the honor went to the Kansas junior frankfurter team who was first in recipe, showmanship and overall, in the age division; members include Aubree McCurry of Hutchinson, Avery Mullen of Ulysses and Haillie Mullen of Ulysses.
The Pat Grote LEAD Award is given to the winning intermediate team in the steak division. Team members receive a scholarship to the National Junior Angus Association’s (NJAA) Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) conference, which will be held in late July in Louisiana. The 2024 recipients were members of the Illinois team: Charlee Jones of Gridley, Ella Bane of Towanda, Blake Wolters of Aviston, Danielle Alberts of Atlanta, Macie Carroll of Mt. Carroll and Macie Bartlow of Macomb.
View results of the 2024 NJAS, including shows, contests, awards and scholarships at www.njas.info. Additional coverage is also available on the NJAA Facebook page and in the September issue of the Angus Journal.
— Written by Jessica Hartman, Angus Communications
About the NJAA
The NJAA promotes the involvement of young people in raising Angus cattle while also providing leadership and self-development opportunities for more than 4,500 active members nationwide.
ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 22,000 members across the United States, Canada and several other countries. It’s home to an extensive breed registry that grows by nearly 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.
