Pictured (l to r) are George Sprague, HYFA vice president, Ralston Ripp, Kearney, Neb., and Jill Bielema, HYFA scholarship committee.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — High achieving Hereford youth were awarded numerous scholarships during the 2021 American Hereford Association Annual Meeting and Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 22. In a special awards ceremony, the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and its army of donors proudly awarded $160,000 in scholarships to 24 National Junior Hereford Association members to help support their higher-education goals.

The 2021 Larson Polled Herefords Scholarship sponsored by HYFA is a $2,500 scholarship awarded annually in honor of Ken and Carolyn Larson of Texas, who are longtime supporters of Hereford youth and purchased the first lot one foundation female selling at the Mile High Night Sale in Denver. This purchase initiated a fundraising effort that over the years has grown to $1 million dollars to support youth and education.

Ralston Ripp from Kearney, Neb., is the $2,500 Larson Polled Herefords Scholarship winner. Ralson is a senior at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, majoring in agribusiness with minors in the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars and agribusiness entrepreneurship. She aspires to use her degree, experiences and learning ability to grow her skillset, giving back and leading agriculturalists to their passions. Professionally she aims to serve others, whether it is assisting producers on their operations, youth wanting to get involved in agriculture or sharing her story with all who are eager to learn about beef production. She has a genuine desire to serve and work hard in all that she does.

The scholarship fund is the cornerstone of HYFA and countless youth are the benefactors of its mission. This last fiscal year, the foundation celebrated net assets reaching an all time high of 5.4 million dollars and $186,000 was given back to Hereford youth to assist with their college educations.

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The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) was established in 1986 and is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated exclusively to scholarship and educational support of youth in the business of raising Hereford cattle. The mission of the Hereford Youth Foundation of America 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.