By Amy Cowan, American Hereford Association Director of Youth Activities and Foundation

Kansas City, MO — This summer was filled with championship ceremonies, hole-in-one moments and plenty of comparisons to the game of golf. When we set out to host “The Hereford Masters in Madison,” I never imagined how fully the Hereford family would embrace the theme, or how much fun it would be to watch names climb the leaderboard as our youth competed on Hereford’s biggest stage, much like the golfers do each spring in Augusta, Ga.

The VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo and Faces of Leadership conference are Hereford traditions unlike any other. Their reach is unmatched when it comes to opening doors for the next generation and creating opportunities for young people — the mission at the heart of the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA).

As summer closes, I find myself reflecting on what I believe has been one of the NJHA’s best seasons. I am reminded, once again, of the incredible investment the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA), along with our family of donors and supporters, makes in creating experiences that shape the lives of Hereford youth.

With the summer’s flagship events behind us, we turn our attention to the next season centered around the scholarship pillar that launched HYFA’s mission more than 25 years ago.

During a special presentation at “The Hereford Masters in Madison,” HYFA received a gift to establish a new endowment for the Junior Hereford Organization of Texas (JHOT). The Texas group has partnered with HYFA to build a fund dedicated to providing scholarships for Texas junior members. JHOT has an ambitious goal to build a $200,000 scholarship endowment, which will provide annual scholarships to Texas Hereford youth for generations to come.

This investment represents more than a scholarship. It is an investment in the future, ensuring young Hereford members have opportunities to learn and lead so they can make an impact tomorrow. The JHOT endowment also represents an exciting new direction for HYFA: partnering with state organizations and local groups to manage and grow funds. By working together, we can expand the foundation’s reach and ensure more junior members in more places have access to life-changing opportunities.

Texas may be the newest group to join this effort, but they are not the first. HYFA has proudly partnered with organizations such as the Western States Hereford Association, which awards scholarships each year at the national show in Reno; the Wisconsin Hereford Association, which works with HYFA to support its queen program; Iowa Hereford Breeders; and the Livestock Marketeers, among others.

The National Hereford Women (NHW) is another longstanding HYFA partner. “The Hereford Masters in Madison” was the perfect backdrop for them to rekindle the Hereford Invitational Golf Tournament and launch their Leadership Scholarship Endowment, which the successful tournament will help fund.

These grassroots partnerships represent tremendous potential for HYFA. Imagine what we can accomplish when state organizations come together to invest in the next generation.

If your state organization is interested in building a scholarship endowment or partnering with HYFA, please contact me or a HYFA board member. We want to hear your ideas, explore what is possible and find ways to work together to benefit your junior members.

Thank you for being a special part of “The Hereford Masters,” HYFA and the mission to invest in the next generation. Let’s take the championship moments from this summer and carry them far beyond the ring, creating a scholarship tradition unlike any other.