2022AJSA AJSAEvents Events 2018 Early April – Watch AJSA website and Facebook for upcoming information April 15 – Hotel Scholarship deadline – find application at juniorsimmental.org May 2 – Regional Classic early deadline, 4:30 PM MDT Event registration fees double between May 2, 4:31PM and May 9, 4:30 PM May 2 – Eileen DuJardin Memorial scholarship due. Send to ajsa@simmgene.com May 9 – Regional Classic final entry deadline, 4:30 PM MDT May 17 – National Classic early deadline, 4:30 PM MDT, Event registration fees double between May 17, 4:31PM and May 23, 4:30 PM May 23 – National Classic final deadline, 4:30 PM MDT June 1 – Bronze, Silver, and Gold Merit Scholarship applications, Trustee Applications, Photography contest due. Send to ajsa@simmgene.com June 8-11 – AJSA Eastern Regional Classic, Lebanon, IN June TBA – AJSA South Central Regional Classic, TBA June TBA – AJSA Western Regional Classic, TBA July 10-16 – AJSA National Classic, Madison, WI *All deadlines are Mountain Daylight Time
Make plans to attend the 2022 Regional and National Classics
AJSA 2021–2022 Board of Directors President Martha Moenning 504-923-1114 marthamoenning@gmail.com VP Membership Communications Grace Greiman 641-512-1662 grace.greiman@gmail.com VP Leadership Kaitlyn Cloud 417-793-7824 kcloud2002@gmail.com VP Finance Lauren Trauernicht 402-239-4517 lauren.trauernicht@gmail.com VP Marketing Rachel Dickson 740-915-1160 dicksonfarms21@gmail.com Eastern Regional Trustees Matt Koverman 740-988-0203 kovermanm211@minfordfalcons.net Luke Harker 812-37-7976 lukeharker2252@gmail.com Walker Housley 423-599-8346 walkerhousley@gmail.com South Central Region Trustees Sara Sweat 870-826-0808 sweat.sara03@gmail.com
July 10–16, 2022 Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin hosted by the Illinois Simmental Association
Rylee Abney 405-446-7588 rabney914@icloud.com Blake Henrichs 405-831-1672 bhenrichscattleco@gmail.com
Eastern Regional Classic June 8–11, 2022 Lebanon, IN hosted by the Indiana Simmental Association
South Central Regional Classic TBA
Western Regional Classic TBA
For more information check the AJSA Facebook page.
North Central Region Trustees Emerson Tarr 309-205-0860 eleetarr2021@gmail.com Western Region Trustees Jonna McCullough 406-868-0253 jonna3383@icloud.com Bella Beins 435-452-1548 bella.beins@gmail.com Sydney Schwenk 503-847-6828 sydney.schwenk55@gmail.com
The Swiss Bell
November, 2021
By Martha Moenning AJSA President At the 2021 AJSA National Classic, three AJSA members had the honor of winning the coveted Swiss Bell. Conley Schick: Champion Junior Overall; Walker Housley: Champion Intermediate Overall; and Teegan Mackey: Champion Senior Overall share their experiences below. Tell me about yourself. Conley Schick: “I live on a row crop farm in Clinton, Illinois, where my family owns a small trucking company and raises our herd of Simmental cattle with Ryan and Megan Haefner. I’m an active student in my freshman class participating in volleyball, 4-H, FFA, and the Illinois Junior Simmental Association. I attended my first ever AJSA National Classic back in 2014.” Walker Housley: “I grew up on a commercial cow-calf operation in Dayton, Tennessee. Currently, I am a junior at Rhea County High School and am active in our FFA and 4-H clubs. When I attended my very first AJSA Eastern Regional Classic, I fell in love with the program and since then haven’t missed a single Regional or National Classic.” Teegan Mackey: “I was raised on multiple different cattle operations all over the country until my family settled in College Station, Texas, around 2008. We haven’t left since and all three of my siblings and I have attended Texas A&M in pursuit of undergraduate and graduate degrees. We are avid AJSA members and have attended 17 consecutive National Classics.” What’s your favorite aspect of the AJSA National Classic and the AJSA? Conley Schick: “The people you meet and the family they become is the best quality of the AJSA. The National Classic is always my favorite show of the summer. Not only are the cattle high-quality, but so are the people. The support system that AJSA has built is truly amazing and surrounds you with amazing people to look up to.” Walker Housley: “Though it is hard to put my finger on one specific thing, from meeting new and old friends to competing with the best in the nation, my favorite aspect of the AJSA and National Classic is the fierce competition. Every year, we gear up for months to finally pack the trailer and head to the Regional or National Classic. Getting to see the passion of my fellow exhibitors and getting to compete alongside them is truly my favorite part. Though I may not win every time, the experience of getting to witness such an intense event is remarkable.” Teegan Mackey: “My favorite part of the National Classics as well as the AJSA is the connections and friendships you make. There are so many people that I have met and gotten to know through this breed that built me into who I am. None stronger than my fellow board members and our coordinators that I got to know so well.”
Conley Schick
“Funded in part by the American Simmental-Simbrah Foundation”
President’s Corner Martha Moenning, AJSA president
Walker Housley
Teegan Mackey
What is your favorite educational contest and why? Conley Schick: “My favorite contest would have to be Sales Talk. When I attended my first Regional Classic, Sales Talk was very intimidating for me, and the contest I definitely struggled the most with. While I had a hard time at first, the more I practiced and studied my animal’s pedigree, the more fun it became. Sales Talk took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to think on my feet. The progress I have made since I started makes it the contest I enjoy the most.” Walker Housley: “Though it’s the one contest I have never won, Sales Talk will forever have my heart. My passion for wanting to pursue a career in marketing elite Simmental cattle has instilled in me a natural ability to negotiate and successfully market our product. The Sales Talk competition is not only my favorite because of its laid-back, unscripted design, but I also see it being the most beneficial for my plans in the future.” Teegan Mackey: “Although early in my AJSA time, I cried through just about every speech, I have become a big fan of the Public Speaking contest. With my mom and dad forcing me to do it for so many years I began to get better and better. Now, I have the ability to not only create a logical speech, but more importantly, I can get in front of people and speak on topics I know and have learned about in a pleasant and easy fashion without nerves dragging me down.” How did it feel to ring the bell? Conley Schick: “Ringing the bell was such a surreal feeling that I will never forget. For the past few summers, I have set out to ring the Swiss Bell and achieving that goal of mine felt truly incredible. The many hours spent studying flashcards with my sisters or reading various articles proved itself to be worth it in the end. It really just felt like a dream come true!” Walker Housley: “Fortunately, with God and a tremendous support system behind me, I have gotten the opportunity to ‘ring the bell’ twice in my AJSA career. The tradition is remarkable and the lucky person on the end of the bell should truly be commended for their hard work. However, from a personal standpoint, ringing the bell gives a sense of accomplishment and great joy. It empowers you and instills a lust to taste the glory again. Truly, it is a worthwhile experience that makes your hard work truly pay dividends.” Teegan Mackey: “When I first won in 2017 there happened to be a scoring error before the banquet and I did not get the chance to ring my bell. Since then I had just missed on the chance to finally ring it several times. So when my good friend and mentor, Chance Ujazdowski, announced that I had won, there was no greater feeling in the world than to fulfill my childhood dream of ringing the bell in front of everybody who built me into who I am today.”
Hello AJSA members, parents, breeders, and Simmental enthusiasts! As I reflect on the summer, the AJSA had an incredible time with our Regional Classics and the National Classic. It is always exciting to see members, families, and friends gather together to do what they love. Whether you had success in the show ring, excelled in an educational contest, or just learned something new, congratulations on your achievements. A huge thank you goes out to our dedicated staff and volunteers who make these valuable events happen for our young people. Another highlight was seeing AJSA members expand their knowledge and experiences at the IGS Summit in July. This event was hosted with our friends at the American Junior Shorthorn Association and the American Junior Gelbvieh Association in Amarillo, Texas. The AJSA board and members toured West Texas A&M, Cactus Feeders, and Cactus Cares. Thank you to the sponsors, supporters, and staff who provided this opportunity. Now that school is underway, sale season is in full swing, and fall Majors are ready to commence, we wish you the best in all of your preparations. The board has been busy planning for Martha Moenning the upcoming year. During our meetings, we have discussed ways that we can improve the AJSA for our members. Be sure to follow our social media pages for exciting updates. Watch for the gray jackets at the Majors. We look forward to seeing you throughout the year! As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or any board member.
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What’s Inside
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Clay Sundberg Herdsman of the Year 2021 Foundation Female AJSA Member of the Year Award IGS Summit Spotlight AJSA Recognizes Interview Contest Winners The Swiss Bell
2021–2022 AJSA Trustees
Editor’s Note: Check out the American Simmental Association’s
SimmAPP to stay up-to-date on the latest ASA, AJSA, and beef industry news. SimmAPP is available on Google Play, Apple Store, and Amazon Appstore.
Clay Sundberg – Herdsman of the Year by Grace Greiman North Central trustee I had the chance to ask one of my very best friends about receiving the 2021 Herdsman of the Year Award. No one deserves this more than Clay and I’m happy to call him a friend. I hope you all enjoy Clay’s answers as much as I did! Tell us a little about yourself and your background in the Simmental breed. At eight years old I showed my first Simmental heifer calf at the county fair. Although our family runs predominantly Angus cows, we had a couple Simmental cows as well. Fast forward a couple years and in 2011 I attended my first Illinois Junior Simmental Association Field Day and I would have to say that weekend is what started my love for the Simmental breed. After having such a great time we decided to go to the North Central Regional Show in Wisconsin, where the excitement of new friends and the other activities at a Simmental Classic had my family and me hooked. After a couple more Regional Classics, we attended our first National Classic in 2013. I remember watching the trustees work throughout the week to make sure contests ran smoothly and being so welcoming to every junior whether it was their first classic or their last. This left a lasting impression on me, as I would continue to look up the trustees for the next few Clay Sundberg years. In 2017, I was elected to my first term with the AJSA. Thankfully, I got to enter onto a board full of experienced trustees, and for the first two years I got to learn from their experiences. Throughout my next four years on the Board of Trustees, I had the time of my life always meeting new friends and seeing old. But my favorite part of all had to be watching the AJSA grow into the size it is today. As I recently finished my last year as a member of the AJSA, I can’t thank the Association and all its members enough for all of the memories made over the last ten years. Currently, I am finishing up at South Dakota State University, where I am a member of the livestock judging team, and will graduate in the spring double-majoring in animal science and ag science. What does it mean to you to have received the Herdsman of the Year Award? Being named Herdsman of the Year meant more than I could put into words. There was no better way I could have ended my AJSA career than the opportunity to be named among so many others that have impacted the Simmental breed. I was so excited, blessed, and even a bit emotional that evening. After the announcement, some of the first people I found were my parents, and without them I could have never gotten the opportunity to be where I was that night. But most of all I felt thankful; thankful for the opportunities I had with the AJSA, thankful for the people I met, and thankful for those who believed in me. Without everyone that night, my family and I could have never experienced such an event. Who would you like to thank for getting you where you are today? The list of people that I have to thank is endless, but first and foremost, my family. Family means the world to me. They’ve given me the opportunity to grow in the Simmental breed, encouraged me along the entire way, and were there to always help me. Everything we do is as a family, whether that’s going to a show, working in the barn, or even just eating supper. I could never imagine it any other way. Secondly, I have to thank Darla and Chance. They were both only just phone calls away whenever I needed them, whether it be about the AJSA or just life in general. They both pushed me to always do my best as a member of the AJSA. What is your advice to younger members just getting started out in the Simmental breed? Take advantage of every opportunity you get, and meet new members whenever you can. That could mean participating in the Mentor Program to learn more about what happens during the week of the National Classic. If possible, attend the extra events throughout the week, like the dances or trips to off-site activities. I would have never thought attending the cornhole tournament at the National Classic would introduce me to one of my closest lifetime friends, but fast forward seven years later and we still talk almost every day. Also, one of my favorite opportunities was attending the IGS Summit Leadership Conference. In just three short days, I got to meet more members of not only the AJSA but other junior associations than I could have possibly imagined, and it’s these networking opportunities that are so irreplaceable.
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2021 Foundation Female
IGS Summit Spotlight
by Walker Housley Eastern trustee
by Kaitlyn Cloud South Central trustee
If you have ever set foot on the historical fairgrounds in Denver, Colorado, for the National Western Stock Show (NWSS), you can testify of the unique, excitement-filled atmosphere. If you’re a Simmental enthusiast who has attended the NWSS, you are aware of the prestigious The One sale in the yards. Annually, at The One sale, a gracious sponsor donates a live female to sell at public auction to raise money for the American Simmental-Simbrah Foundation and Merit Scholarship Program. As many of you know, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 NWSS did not happen. In turn, a new stock show was born — the Cattlemen’s Congress, held in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma state fairgrounds. With the move, The One sale failed to happen. However, the team at Eberspacher Enterprises kept the Sim-Magic on Ice elite embryo sale in tradition. At the prestigious sale, the Foundation Female of the year, donated by gracious donors Red River Farms of Grand Saline, Texas, sold for an astronomical $65,000, with help from donations from these elite breeders: Shoal Creek Simmentals (Ed and Kathi Rule), Hart Simmentals, White Wing Simmentals, Eberspacher Enterprises, Rocking P Livestock, Helm Farms, Wallace Cattle Co., Circle M Farms, Buck Creek Ranch, Heidt Simmentals, Diamond J Simmentals, Adcock Land & Livestock, Schick Haefner Cattle Co., Trennepohl Farms/Scott Trennepohl Family, JS Simmentals, Gerdes Show Cattle, Harker Simmentals, La Muneca Cattle Co./Victor Guerra, C-MOR Beef Farms, Innovation Ag Marketing/Graham Blagg, Shipwreck Cattle Co., B&K Farms/Ivie & Son’s Simmentals, Eichacker Simmentals/Steve & Kathy Eichacker, Trinity Farms/Mike Forman, Smith Genetics/Tim Smith, Yardley Cattle Co., Brad Cox, Allenberg Cotton Co., Freking Cattle Co./Hartman Cattle Co./Effling Cattle, Udell Cattle Co., Circle E Farms/Mark & Ronnette Evans, Circle Ranch, Wager Cattle Co., From The Ground Up Production Sale, MacGregor Livestock, Wayward Hill Farm, Tim Schaeffer Show Cattle, Foster Brothers Farm., H2O’s Cattle, Lindsey Farms, RDO Equipment Co., Pape’ Machinery, Werning Cattle Co., Hook Farms/Tom Hook, Hilbrands Cattle Co., Jones Show Cattle, Turkey Creek Cattle Co., MadLuke Cattle Co., Trauernicht Simmentals, and Diamond M Cattle Co.. The Foundation Female, RRF Lola 1206H, an own daughter of SC Pay the Price C11 and OBCC Lola 137Z, was a March 2020 purebred Simmental female and a full sister to the division champion female at the American Royal and NAILE, RRF Lola 208H. We thank our gracious sponsor Red River Farms for their donation of the 2021 Foundation Female. Anyone sitting ringside at any national show is familiar with the name Red River Farms and their legacy and reputation of producing high-end purebred Simmental seedstock. The hard work of Bob and Michael Mullion, AK Phillips, and the team at Red River Farms does not go unnoticed among breeders across the nation. Join them in Grand Saline, Texas, for their annual production sale, Ladies of the Lone Star, on October 8, 2021, where they are yet again donating the proceeds of two packages of five units of semen on the legendary, hard-to-find, HPF Quantum Leap Z952 to the Foundation. If you are interested in donating a heifer or sponsoring the upcoming 2022 Foundation Female, contact any of the American Simmental-Simbrah Foundation board members. We thank our wonderful supporters from the past and in the future! Always remember… Stand Strong Simmental!
AJSA Member of the Year Award by Rachel Dickson Eastern trustee
This year at the AJSA National Classic in Grand Island, Nebraska, we saw many of our AJSA members succeed in the show ring, make new connections, and have lasting impacts on others. The AJSA board recognized the hard work that all of our members put in to compete at the National Classic and we decided there was no better way to honor this than the creation of the AJSA Member of the Year award. From here on out, the current AJSA Board of Trustees will select a member at the year’s given AJSA National Classic to receive this award.
On July 26, the AJSA board and members from all across the United States traveled to the great state of Texas to participate in the IGS Summit Leadership Conference in Amarillo. The Shorthorn and Gelbvieh junior associations partake in the Summit as well. This is open to anyone in those associations from the age of 14 to 22. Over three days, we heard from speakers, went on tours, and learned more about our industry as a whole. On our first day we heard from Dr. J.D. Ragland, Randall County extension agent, who gave a presentation on leadership and teamwork. We learned the importance of being leaders for our association, along with how to better our junior associations. We then did icebreakers and a game night to get to know one another. On Tuesday we toured the West Texas Nance Ranch and Feedlot to learn about the PrimeOne Cloning project as well as their feedlot research.
After the feedlot tour we went to the West Texas University campus where we toured their meat science department and learned about beef harvest, beef fabrication, and beef palatability. A few of their professors also came in and talked about risk management in the cattle industry, agriculture leadership, and consumer perceptions in agriculture. Later that evening we got the chance to go to a local bowling alley and arcade where we played laser tag. It was a good opportunity to make friends outside of our associations. Wednesday was probably my favorite day of them all. We toured Wrangler Feedyard in Tulia, Texas. It was really intriguing as they explained how they care for almost 50,000 head of cattle at a time. A large part of their feedlot is research for not only themselves but also their customers. On our way to our next stop we got to take a detour to the famous Cadillac Ranch. Once back on the road we headed to
Cactus Cares and Snack Pak 4 Kids, which is a nonprofit that helps feed kids around Amarillo. We learned about the organization and then packed more than 2,000 bags for kids in need. Throughout the week it was great to see the variety of sectors in agriculture, along with how many jobs are out there for people in the industry. It was awesome to meet new AJSA members, along with people in different breed associations. This learning opportunity would not have been possible without our amazing sponsors, and I know all of the attendees are very grateful for them. Attendees not only learn about our amazing industry throughout the Summit, but also learn to be a leader. If you ever have a question about the Summit, don’t hesitate to ask a board member and we would be more than happy to share about this experience.
AJSA Recognizes Interview Contest Winners by Lauren Trauernicht vice president of Finance
Rachel Dickson, Megan Brown, and Darla Aegeter.
The recipient of this award will be hand-selected by the AJSA Board of Trustees. This member must possess qualities that set a good example for others, be passionate about Simmental cattle and the AJSA, and constantly work hard to be the best version of themselves. We believe that all of these qualities in our members will lead to success inside and outside of the show ring, and we want to recognize members who we see working hard and becoming better. This year, the AJSA Board of Trustees selected Megan Brown of Greenville, Texas, as the recipient. Anyone who
knows Megan knows that there was no one more deserving or hard-working. Megan always has a smile on her face and sets a great example for the younger members who look up to her. As the first recipient, Megan will be a great role model to show what we are looking for in future recipients. Congratulations, Megan! We are excited to build the prestigiousness of this award, as we view it as a great way to highlight some of our star members. Stay tuned during the spring and summer for more information on this new opportunity!
The 2021 National Classic was the first year that scholarships were awarded to the first- and second-place winners of the interview contest. To showcase the first-ever interview contest scholarship winner, I asked Natalie Trauernicht to tell us a little about her experience in the contest. What made you want to do the interview contest? Honestly, I was hesitant at first to enter, but I later decided that it would be a good experience for me to learn more about what goes into things like that and get a good experience under my belt! How did you prepare for the interview contest? I had to prepare a job description to submit along with my cover letter and resume. I picked a topic that I was interested in so that it would be as much like the real world as I could make it. I was terribly nervous about my interview because I had never done an interview before. I really didn’t know what to expect, so I just did my best to calm down and think through all of the possible things that I might be asked. What was the interview contest like? The interview contest was not as scary as I thought it would be. It was just myself and two judges in the room. I introduced myself and gave them copies of my resume and cover letter. Then we talked about my potential job and my qualifications for the position. What did you take away from the interview contest? I learned that if you just breathe, calm down, and talk everything will work out. I enjoyed the interview process and feel much more prepared for any potential interviews in my future. Just be yourself and talk about what you know! How are you going to use the scholarship money? I plan on putting my scholarship money into savings and using it toward my college education after I graduate high school in 2023.