KANSAS CITY, Mo. —  Hannah Oleson, Arkdale, Wis., was awarded the Blin Family Scholarship during the 2026 American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting and Educational Forum in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 23. In a special awards ceremony, the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and its donors awarded $168,000 in scholarships to 28 National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members to help support their higher-education goals.

Oleson is a junior at South Dakota State University majoring in animal science and construction technology, with goals to work in the animal byproduct industry. She plans to pursue a master's degree in meat science and build a career in rendering.

“My career goal is to work in the livestock byproduct industry, reducing waste by rendering meat byproducts into useful, high-quality products,” Olseon says. “I’ve become passionate about rendering because it gives every part of an animal a meaningful purpose.”

The Blin Family Scholarship, sponsored by HYFA, is a $2,500 scholarship in recognition of the first Lot 1 Foundation Female ever sold at the Mile High Night Sale in Denver, Colo. Star Lake Cattle Co. and the Blin family of Iowa consigned the female that sold for $100,000 and founded a fund that’s grown to $1 million.

“It was exciting and inspiring to read scholarship applications from a very strong group of Hereford juniors,” says George Sprague, HYFA scholarship committee member. “Their academic records and their contributions both to agriculture and to their communities were first rate and set standards that make the Hereford breed proud.” 

The scholarship fund is the bedrock of HYFA, and countless youth are benefactors of its mission. Since its inception, HYFA has fueled educational opportunities with scholarships and awards. For years, these scholarships have been lighting the way for young Hereford enthusiasts. The Foundation continues to invest in the future of the Hereford breed, recently surpassing $2.6 million in scholarships awarded to youth pursuing higher education.

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The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) was established in 2000 and is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to its four core pillars of scholarship, leadership, education and research. The mission of HYFA is to encourage, recognize and reward the development of life skills and values in the next generation of leaders by providing education, scholarship and leadership opportunities for Hereford youth. For more information about HYFA, visit Herefordyouthfoundation.org. 

Find photos and press release here.