Commercial Connection, Josh Cribbs

MAINE-ANJOU Commercial Connection

JOSHUA CRIBBS AMAA Director of Commercial Development

We are into the heat of the summer, literally! This means we’re past junior national and quickly coming up on state fair season. Time certainly doesn’t ever slow down, does it?

I’d like to take a moment to reflect on junior national. It’s always such a rewarding experience for me to be able to be a part of the production and creation of such an impactful experience for so many youth. It reinforces how lucky we are to have Lindsey leading our Junior program and how thankful we are as an association to have breeders and parents that believe in Maine-Anjou and its importance for youth development. It doesn’t make it forefront of most discussions, but young breeders make old breeders. When youth transition to adults, they remember the experiences they had and the fun they were a part of. They return home to become adult breeders and work hard on continuing to build the MaineAnjou brand.

During junior national, we always tackle senior board meetings and look forward to the things that will impact our breed in the year to come. This time around, those meetings included a discussion focused around completed research and what the next step is to move the needle – for not only commercial relevance, but also for breed growth in general. We are extremely fortunate to have strong leadership within the board – they’re able to discuss and decide how to best tackle the things that are going to make the biggest impact and movement for the brand we all know and love, Maine-Anjou. We are looking forward to furthering our research goals and some exciting partnerships we hope to continue to cultivate through the fall and next spring. These relationships will only further build the volume of verified and updated research we can use for marketing material and strengthening the red meat yield claim we have on the market!

Each part of the year leads to a series of events that we get to travel to and be a part of. In fact, as I’m finishing up this article, I’m also packing for the first of many 2021 State Fairs. During my coming travels, I’ll get the opportunity to look at this year’s calf crop and set my eyes on the growth/progression our breeders continue to make. Before to long, we will be in the middle of sale season and looking forward to the fall run of cow sales and national shows.

Working for the AMAA continues to be a rewarding experience, and I’m thankful I get to work for a breed that has a focus on youth development, cattle research, and brand building. As always, if you need anything or want to have us come by, please don’t hesitate to call or reach out. I look forward to fall temperatures and getting back on the road to be able to promote the Modern Manie-Anjou!

Josh (813) 967-6949

Littles Leave A BIG

Impression Story by Robin Kleine

Picture it – baby brother watches his sister practice her speech before they head to the show, another little sister trails behind her family as they lead calves to and from the wash rack, younger siblings watch older siblings from the sidelines while they do the judging contest.

For kids under eight years old, historically there is not many activities for them at cattle shows. They are supposed to tag along, stay out of the dirt and nap in the stalls when they get worn out. Right?

But the Maine-Anjou National Junior Show is different. Exhibitors younger than 8 are allowed to show, and both the American Junior Maine-Anjou Association (AJMAA) and the American Junior Chianina Association (AJCA) foster a family environment at the event held in a different location every summer.

When past AJMAA Board of Directors member, Kaylee Miller from Lacona, Iowa, finished her own junior career, she wanted a way to involve the younger kids at the show. She says that often younger kids can come to a show, and they do not feel included or

have a thing of their own to look forward to. Those same children might not be ready for contests or to lead around their own heifer, but still crave a way to interact with their peers.

Kaylee is now the ag teacher and FFA advisor at Winterset High School in Winterset, Iowa. She, along with her family – dad Randy, a full-time farmer; mom Sheila, who works for the county health department; and brother Kaleb, farmer and recent Iowa State University graduate, have attended the Maine-Anjou National Junior Show for 14 years. In fact, they have not missed one since their first event in Kansas City, Mo., in 2008.

“I think the Maine-Anjous are the most welcoming junior national, and the breed operates more like a family,” Randy says. So it was natural for Kaylee to stay involved with the show, even after her time leading cattle around the ring was completed.

With the help of her family, and Lindsey Broek, Director of Shows, Communications and Events for the American Maine-Anjou Association, an idea was born. The first Novice Program was hosted in Grand Island, Neb. during the 2018 Maine-Anjou and Chianina National Junior Show.

That first year in Grand Island, the theme was “The Grand Fiesta” and the Novice Program was called the “Little Amigos.” With the schedule that year, the first Novice Activity was before Opening Ceremonies for the show, and the Little Amigos made maracas to use during the big event.

“My mom gets a lot of credit [for planning the events each day]. Having different activities that we come up with is a challenge. We try to do something different every year to keep the kids engaged and interested in coming back,” Kaylee says.

Over the years, the novice activities have included making slime, decorating cookies and playing games with giant dice inflatables. Since each National Junior Show has a distinct theme, Kaylee and Sheila try their best to make all the activities match.

In 2021, the “Let the Good Times Roll” novice activities included squirt gun canvas painting for the “Little Rascals.” A few of the parents expressed some concern over the idea, but Kaylee says the event went off without a hitch.

The program has grown to include three of four days of activities during the National Junior Show, and costs $15-20/child with pre-registration. Each participant gets a t-shirt and brings home all of their creations.

AJMAA Junior Board members serve as mentors for the Novice Program. They help corral the kids, keep them interested in the tasks and help answer questions the younger kids may have along the way.

Kaleb Miller just finished his own tenure on the junior board, and admits he was hesitant when Kaylee asked for the board’s help. But now, four years later, it’s a highlight of the National Junior Show.

“From a junior board standpoint, the whole junior board loves doing the activities. Usually we’ll be working in the showring when one starts and we have to have a meeting to decide who gets to go to Novice and hang out with little kids and who has to stay in the ring and push calves,” Kaleb says. “The other fun part is after you do the Novice Activities for a couple years and then you see those same kids in the show ring, they recognize you and smile or say hi when they see you.”

Kaylee says that sometimes the kids are scared to be in a new environment. With the help of the Junior Board, the kids can be in smaller groups so the process is less overwhelming. They do ice breakers and allow the kids to ask as many questions as they want.

“A lot times you’ll see that same table kind of congregate each day, and get closer to that board member

Pictured from left: Randy, Kaylee, Kaleb & Sheila Miller

Ice breaker games help everybody get comfortable with their new friends!

have a thing of their own to look forward to. Those same children might not be ready for contests or to lead around their own heifer, but still crave a way to interact with their peers.

Kaylee is now the ag teacher and FFA advisor at Winterset High School in Winterset, Iowa. She, along with her family – dad Randy, a full-time farmer; mom Sheila, who works for the county health department; and brother Kaleb, farmer and recent Iowa State University graduate, have attended the Maine-Anjou National Junior Show for 14 years. In fact, they have not missed one since their first event in Kansas City, Mo., in 2008.

“I think the Maine-Anjous are the most welcoming junior national, and the breed operates more like a family,” Randy says. So it was natural for Kaylee to stay involved with the show, even after her time leading cattle around the ring was completed.

With the help of her family, and Lindsey Broek, Director of Shows, Communications and Events for the American Maine-Anjou Association, an idea was born. The first Novice Program was hosted in Grand Island, Neb. during the 2018 Maine-Anjou and Chianina National Junior Show.

That first year in Grand Island, the theme was “The Grand Fiesta” and the Novice Program was called the “Little Amigos.” With the schedule that year, the first Novice Activity was before Opening Ceremonies for the show, and the Little Amigos made maracas to use during the big event.

“My mom gets a lot of credit [for planning the events each day]. Having different activities that we come up with is a challenge. We try to do something different every year to keep the kids engaged and interested in coming back,” Kaylee says.

Over the years, the novice activities have included making slime, decorating cookies and playing games with giant dice inflatables. Since each National Junior Show has a distinct theme, Kaylee and Sheila try their best to make all the activities match.

In 2021, the “Let the Good Times Roll” novice activities included squirt gun canvas painting for the “Little Rascals.” A few of the parents expressed some concern over the idea, but Kaylee says the event went off without a hitch.

The program has grown to include three of four days of activities during the National Junior Show, and costs $15-20/child with pre-registration. Each participant gets a t-shirt and brings home all of their creations.

AJMAA Junior Board members serve as mentors for the Novice Program. They help corral the kids, keep them interested in the tasks and help answer questions the younger kids may have along the way.

Kaleb Miller just finished his own tenure on the junior board, and admits he was hesitant when Kaylee asked for the board’s help. But now, four years later, it’s a highlight of the National Junior Show.

“From a junior board standpoint, the whole junior board loves doing the activities. Usually we’ll be working in the showring when one starts and we have to have a meeting to decide who gets to go to Novice and hang out with little kids and who has to stay in the ring and push calves,” Kaleb says. “The other fun part is after you do the Novice Activities for a couple years and then you see those same kids in the show ring, they recognize you and smile or say hi when they see you.”

Kaylee says that sometimes the kids are scared to be in a new environment. With the help of the Junior Board, the kids can be in smaller groups so the process is less overwhelming. They do ice breakers and allow the kids to ask as many questions as they want.

“A lot times you’ll see that same table kind of congregate each day, and get closer to that board member

Pictured from left: Randy, Kaylee, Kaleb & Sheila Miller

Ice breaker games help everybody get comfortable with their new friends!