Minnesota will host regional Gelbvieh show June 11-13
By Heather Thorstensen
hthorstensen@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 05/27/2010 9:32 AM
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ALBERT LEA, Minn.— The Minnesota Gelbvieh Junior Association is preparing for the first time to host a regional show for their national association.
The American Gelbvieh Junior Association Western Star of the North Regional will be held June 11-13 on the Freeborn County fairgrounds in Albert Lea.
All AGJA members may participate with a $40 per cattle head entrance free. The deadline to enter is May 25.
Members, ages 8 to 21, from Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska are expected to participate. The show generally attracts 50 to 75 head of cattle.
Wisconsin members have been asked to attend AGJA's eastern regional the following weekend in Warrenton, Mo., due to their state's bovine tuberculosis testing and quarantine requirements.
MGJA hopes to gain more members by hosting the western regional. Currently, they have five or six active families, according to show coordinator Ann Riebel of Lewiston. Her family runs Fauer Valley View Farm and breeds Gelbviehs.
"The adult association for the Gelbviehs have been active for several years, but we're really trying to grow a junior association," she said.
She likes the shows because they're family-oriented, they help kids network with others in the industry and they give juniors an opportunity to practice life skills, such as public speaking.
Dana Stewart, AGJA advisor, said most juniors who attend are already Gelbvieh breeders.
"Participating in regional and national level shows provides an excellent opportunity for young Gelbvieh breeders to enhance their breeding programs through exposure in competitive shows and contests," she said.
Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle — a cross between a purebred Gelbvieh and Angus — will be exhibited in Albert Lea. A bred and owned Gelbvieh show will run concurrently with the purebred show.
"We want to encourage kids to be in charge of breeding projects," said Stewart.
Champion and reserve champion titles will be given for Gelbvieh female, bred and owned Gelbvieh female, bred and owned Gelbvieh bull, Gelbvieh-influenced market steer, Balancer female, bred and owned Balancer female and bred and owned Balancer bull.
A no fit showmanship competition, photography and poster contests, a quiz bowl and a team fitting event will also be held.
Participants of the photography or poster contest will bring art that promotes Gelbvieh or Balancer cattle. Winners could have their piece used by the American Gelbvieh Association in publications or advertising.
"It works well not only for us potentially to use them, it gets them to think about marketing their own animals," said Stewart.
The quiz bowl will involve questions about the beef industry, animal health, animal science and trivia.
These types of AGJA contests typically put members into three age divisions: Junior, intermediate and senior. In the team fitting contest, junior and intermediate members will work together in teams of three or four. Seniors will compete in two-member teams. They will have 30 minutes to prepare an animal for the show ring.
Check in, preliminary quiz bowl rounds and an ice breaker event are planned June 11. The showmanship competition and cattle show will be held June 12. The weekend wraps up June 13 with the fitting competition, quiz bowl finals and an award presentation.
"Anybody that's interested in cattle, or particularly Gelbvieh cattle, we would love for them to come by and see the show," said Stewart.
After the two regional shows, members may compete July 5-10 in Bryan-College Station, Texas, for the AGJA Lone Star Classic, the largest national junior Gelbvieh show in the country.