Hi there! I'm Mackenzie Forbes, from Walla Walla, Washington. Currently, I'm the Western States Red Angus Junior Vice President. I recently graduated from Touchet High School and also took classes at Walla Walla Community College. Throughout high school, I was involved in FFA and served as Vice President and later President. Before that, I participated in 4-H, showing pigs until middle school.
In the fall, I'll be attending WSU for Animal Science and business. I've been showing cattle since 2016, buying my first heifer in Reno. I also help my parents with bull sales, locker meat, and our cow-calf operation.
Hi! I’m Jenna Cox and am currently your Jr. Board Secretary. I’m from Walla Walla, WA and just recently graduated from DeSales Catholic High School. I am enrolled in the Honors College at Montana State University and will head there in the fall to pursue a degree in either Embryology or Ranching Systems.
I grew up on a yearling / cow-calf operation but am now working with my family to develop and show our purebred red angus herd. I have a passion for showing cattle, I jackpot both heifers and steers during the summer, sell a fat steer at the county fair, and haul cattle to NAJRAE and the NILE. I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to be on the Junior Board and can’t wait to see everyone in Reno!
Hi! I’m Taryn Cox from Walla Walla, Washington and I am currently serving as the Social Media director for the Western States Junior Red Angus board! I am 18 years old and just recently graduated from DeSales Catholic High School. During high school I played soccer, was captain of the Knowledge Bowl team, was active in the National Honor Society, and participated in ASB. I will be attending Kansas State University in the fall to major in Agriculture Economics with a Pre-Law specialty.
I have shown cattle through 4H since elementary school and have shown Red Angus for about five years now. I have my own herd(s) of purebred Red Angus and Charolais cattle and look forward to expanding them in the future. When I’m not showing cattle, I enjoy drinking coffee, going for drives, and drinking a lot of coffee. I would like to thank the senior board for the re-in station of the junior board and this great opportunity. I’m looking forward to all that we can accomplish!
Western States Junior Red Angus Association Member, Emma Gnech, joined in the fun at the 2022 Young Stockman Program in Dunlap, Iowa. The Young Stockman Program is designed to provide juniors with hands-on experience related to beef production. Gleaning insights, guidance and advice from university faculty, industry professionals, and cattle producers.
After returning from an exciting weekend surrounded by cattle and friends, Emma recalls, "I learned about the industry of butchering and processing beef, which is eye-opening as a beef producer to see the qualities a butcher looks for versus a show cattle or hobby farm owner." She was grateful to gain a better understanding about the finishing stages of beef cattle. Emma also learned various marketing strategies that she can apply to her own programs at home.
Junior members from 12 states and Canada met in Sacramento, Calif., for the 2014 Round-Up in June. Members of the Canadian Junior Angus Association also attended Round-Up as part of the JRA American/Canadian Exchange Program. Representing the North West Red Angus Association were: Brady Linnell, Oregon, Riley Haun, Idaho, Morgan Cortez, Idaho, Anna Miller, California, and Royce McPhee-Bayha, California. During the week of Red Angus focused activities, Anna Miller was elected to join the Officer team. We are very proud to have Anna representing the North West!
Highlights of the 2014 Round-Up included stops at: Mendoza Red Angus, Valley Springs, Calif.; Awalt’s AAA Red Angus, Sanger, Calif.; Silveira Brothers Angus, Firebaugh, Calif.; Harris Ranch feedlot and Thoroughbred operations, Coalinga, Calif.; McPhee Red Angus, Lodi, Calif., Yosemite National Park and Fresno State University. Stops at Prima Frutta, an olive grove and processing facility and a vineyard were included in the tour of California agriculture.
The week included all the JRA National Contests - Quiz Bowl, Team Advocacy, Prepared Speech, Extemporaneous Speech, Barnyard Olympics, Scrapbook, Print Advertising, Cattle Evaluation/Judging, T-shirt design, Poster, Stockman’s Quiz, Equipment Identification and Weight Guessing. Results from involvement in all the contests lead to the coveted Best-All-Around award presented at the Saturday awards banquet. Northwest Red Angus Juniors attending the 2014 JRA Round Up in California are from L-R: Anna Miller, Morgan Cortez, Riley Haun, Royce McPhee-Bayha and Brady Linnell.
North American Junior Red Angus Event, Grand Island, Nebraska
Four juniors from Idaho traveled to the Red Angus junior national show in Grand Island, Nebraska, in June. Traveling across Idaho, Wyoming, and Nebraska, the two day drive found these Idaho Juniors ready to compete! This is the third year that juniors from the North West have traveled to be a part of the NAJRAE. During the 4-day event, juniors competed in public speaking, sales talk, herdsman quiz, livestock judging, quiz bowl team competition, team fitting, photography, showmanship, bred and owned and owned cattle competition and futurity heifer show. One of the week's highlights was the Idaho team taking home bragging rights as the Intermediate Division Quiz Bowl Champions!
After the individual competition results were calculated, Idaho was well represented with Riley Haun being awarded several competition wins, and 5th high overall individual honors. NAJRAE board member Morgan Cortez also received several individual awards adding up to 8th high individual award for the week. Willy Haun also received recognition as the second place public speaking recipient for the junior division.
2014 NJRAE Idaho Display
Congratulations Quiz Bowl Champions!
Riley Haun, Chanelle Brussea, Moran Cortez, and Willy Haun
2014 Loaded 4 Leadership a Success
Representing the North West at the 2014 Loaded 4 Leadership in Denver in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show were:
- Morgan Cortez, Idaho
- Payton Fehringer, Idaho
- Riley Haun, Idaho
- Anna Miller, California
- Royce McPhee-Bayha, California
Twenty-five JRA members from 14 states gathered in Denver for the 2014 Loaded 4 Leadership (L4L) junior conference. The two-day event - focused on being a beef industry advocate, becoming Masters of Beef Advocacy and filming and editing JRA advocacy videos – was highlighted by Copperhead Road line dance and two–step lessons by a professional dance instructor and a Lunch with Leaders (the RAAA Board of Directors).
Nationally recognized advocacy video producer and star, Greg Peterson of Peterson Farm Brothers in Kansas, was the keynote speaker of this year’s L4L. Greg spent both days with the Red Angus juniors, sharing his insight, suggestions and editing skills with those in attendance.
Daren Williams, Candace Weeda and Michele Peterson Murray, all National Cattlemen’s Beef Association staff members, brought experience and expertise in beef advocacy and social media to the conference.
Teams of Red Angus juniors brainstormed, scripted, filmed and edited their own beef and JRA advocacy videos as part of L4L. Watch the JRA e-News and JRA Facebook in the near future to view the completed videos!
L4L, which alternates years with the Red Angus Young Stockman Program, will be held again in 2016.
For more information on Loaded 4 Leadership, the Red Angus Young Stockman Program or other JRA programs and events, contact dawn@redangus.org.