KANSAS CITY, Mo. —  Luke Bludau, Hallettsville, Texas, was awarded the Whitehead Ranches Scholarship during the 2023 American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting and Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 20. In a special awards ceremony, the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and its donors proudly awarded $163,000 in scholarships to 27 National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members to help support their higher-education goals.

Bludau is a junior at Texas A&M University studying biological and agricultural engineering. As a first-generation registered Hereford breeder, he has quickly become involved in the Texas Hereford Association and is passionate about environmental sustainability and stewardship, and the part that ranchers play in that cycle.

“I aspire to be a biological and agricultural engineer who develops innovative solutions to improve efficiencies, help achieve agricultural sustainability, provide biosecurity to our food and feed supply, and better the lives of farmers and ranchers,” said Bludau.

The 2023 Whitehead Ranches Scholarship sponsored by HYFA in the amount of $2,500, honors Loyd Whitehead of Texas. Loyd was an instrumental part of HYFA in its early years, serving on the board of directors and as financial chairman.

“The foundation takes great pride in our scholarship program and the opportunities we are able to provide to assist our young people throughout their college journeys,” says Amy Cowan, AHA’s director of youth activities and foundation. “The selection committee continues to be impressed by the high caliber of applicants and are confident that today’s NJHA members will be tomorrow’s leaders in whatever industry they pursue.” 

The scholarship fund is the bedrock of HYFA and countless youth are benefactors of its mission. This last fiscal year, the foundation celebrated net assets reaching $6.3 million and in total $221,500 was given back to Hereford youth to assist with their college educations. 

### 

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.