KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Isaac Rhode, Stewartsville, Mo., was awarded the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) Scholarship in memory of the late Johnny Winston, during the 2024 American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting and Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 25. In a special awards ceremony, the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and its donors proudly awarded $165,500 in scholarships to 27 National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members to help support their higher-education goals.

Rhode is a senior at the University of Missouri studying agriculture with emphasis areas in animal science, agriculture business management and agriculture education and leadership. While he wants to continue in production agriculture as a Hereford breeder, he wants to work with other livestock producers to find more efficient, effective and profitable ways to feed our growing population.

“When I think about my personal legacy, I would like to be remembered as an individual whose success in life was earned through dedication, commitment and hard work. Maintaining a strong work ethic has always been important to me and something I strive to build and maintain every day.” Rhode said.

This particular scholarship honors the legacy left by Johnny Winston. In 1964, Winston joined the staff of the American Hereford Journal, and later took the role of director of field services for the Polled Hereford World. Johnny retired in 1990 as the senior vice president of the American Polled Hereford Association. All throughout his career, he had a passion for young people in the Hereford industry and loved nothing more than seeing those junior members and young field staff succeed in their careers. Upon his retirement the late Ed Bible said it best, “Johnny is a people person. He fervently believes in the people-business and was quick to make this point clear to any and all.” 

Johnny Winston passed away in August of 2022, and his family set up a memorial through HYFA, with the goal of providing a scholarship in his name. “Johnny taught us all a lot about the people business in the way he lived his life and did his job. For nearly 3 decades he was committed to serving the breed, but more importantly its people and its young people and it is an honor for HYFA to remember the Winston Legacy with this scholarship,” said Amy Cowan, AHA director of youth activities and foundation. 

The scholarship fund serves as the bedrock of HYFA, and countless youth benefit from its mission. Since its inception, HYFA has awarded scholarships fueling educational opportunities. For years, these scholarships have been lighting the way for youth in the Hereford breed. Recently, the foundation celebrated awarding more than $2 million in scholarships to assist Hereford youth further their education, since its founding in 2000.

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The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) was established in 2000, when the American Hereford Youth Foundation and the American Polled Hereford Youth Foundation, Inc., merged. HYFA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the scholarship and educational support of young people in the Hereford industry. Its mission 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.