Building Leaders for Tomorrow

GW GW FROM THE CORNER OFFICE Building Leaders for Tomorrow

by Megan Slater

The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. at said, let’s take a brief look at how our junior association got its start. e rst meeting of what was then called the “Gelbvieh Gang” took place on September 28, 1974, in Vail, Colorado. A er its inception, annual meetings of the Gelbvieh Gang were held during the National Western Stock Show. It wasn’t until 1981 that the annual meeting was moved and held in conjunction with a summer show that took place July 15-16 in Fremont, Nebraska. is show was considered the rst junior national Gelbvieh show. e American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) was formed to develop the breed’s leaders and future membership and continues to do so today. e 2021 AGJA Southern Hospitality Classic marked the 40th junior national show for the association. Last month, I wrote about the American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) 50th anniversary and the events that have brought us to this golden anniversary. I would be remiss not to mention the AGJA in that list of successes or the list of contributions. A healthy junior association is a vital piece in having a successful breed organization. ere have been countless individuals who have come through the AGJA to become leaders in the breed and the industry. Several past AGJA board members have served on the AGA board of directors, and many have held leadership roles. Additionally, it is always great to see past members of the AGJA board coming back to bring their children to the junior classic and running for the board.

e AGJA Junior Classic isn’t just “another cattle show.” Sure, cattle are exhibited, and it is always exciting to take home a few ribbons and maybe a banner, but the real rewards of junior nationals are the connections and friendships made, experience gained, and life skills learned. Contests like prepared speaking and sales talk teach important verbal communication skills in a world that has gone so digital. Quiz bowl and skill-a-thon contests help sharpen the minds of young cattlemen and women by testing their knowledge of the beef industry. Livestock judging instills communication, problemsolving, and decision-making. e list goes on with all of the valuable lessons learned from the multiple contests set on a national stage.

Today’s youth are the future of the AGA and the future of the beef industry. With the many outside pressures facing today’s industry, from government regulations to animal rights groups, preparing our young people has never been more important. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” With the ever-changing world that we are living in, this quote certainly rings true. We can’t predict the future or what challenges lie ahead for our young people, but we can help to prepare them to face those challenges. ings like a strong work ethic, good morals, values, and the skills I’ve mentioned above are the tools that will always prove to be valuable in any series of events. F