KANSAS CITY, MO — South Dakota youth did well at this years National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout held during the 2025 World Hereford Conference.
The NJHA Fed Steer Shootout teaches young people about the cattle feeding industry. This year the Fed Steer Shootout attracted 96 junior participants in 24 states — from California to Pennsylvania — which entered 281 head of Hereford and Hereford-influenced steers.
The 2025 winners received more than $15,000 in scholarships and awards from the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA). The awards were presented at the 2025 World Hereford Conference coinciding with the American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO, during the Shaping the Breed’s Future: Young Breeders Competition and HYFA Scholarship Awards Luncheon.
Each year, the Shootout’s cattle performance awards are recognized alongside the top three junior members, in both the junior and senior age divisions, for their efforts and knowledge of the cattle feeding industry. Those top three participants in each age division gave a speech and were interviewed by a panel of judges to determine the final placing.
The Frederickson brothers from Spearfish, S.D., won the Champion Pen-of-Three Purebred Hereford steer. Teegan and Tiernan Frederickson were recognized for their knowledge of the cattle feeding industry and their champion-quality fed steers.
Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla., was named the Contestant of the Year in the junior division, and Joseph Schohr, Oroville, Calif., earned the Contestant of the Year title in the senior division.
About the contest:
Contestants in the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout gained hands-on experience collecting feedyard performance and carcass data on individual and pen-of-three Hereford and Hereford-influence steer entries. Participants expanded their knowledge of animal health, nutrition, and marketing while feeding their steers at HRC Feed Yards in Scott City, Kan. Their entries were harvested at National Beef Packing Co. in Dodge City, Kan., as potential candidates for the Certified Hereford Beef® brand.
To test their skills, contestants submitted performance portfolios, which analyzed data reports from the feeding period and summarized what they learned. The top three junior and senior division finalists advanced to compete for the prestigious NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Contestant of the Year title, in both the junior and senior divisions.
The Fed Steer Shootout offers young people an unparalleled opportunity to experience the beef industry in real-world scenarios. Past participants have found the knowledge gained through the program to be invaluable, even when they had to transport steers long distances to enter. The 2026 Fed Steer Shootout Field Day is set for April 17–18, 2026, and the event is open to all juniors and families.
This year’s award winners are:
Contestant of the Year – Top Three Finalists – Junior Division:
- Rhett Blume, Pierre, S.D.
- Jackson Chastain, Arlington, Texas
- Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla.
Contestant of the Year – Top Three Finalists – Senior Division:
- Joseph Schohr, Oroville, Calif.
- Jorja Ebert, Polo, Mo.
- Beau Ann Graves, Chillicothe, Mo.
Cattle Awards went to:
- Overall Champion Steer – Justis Cant, Imbler, Ore.
- Champion Pen-of-Three Purebred Steers – Teegan and Tiernan Frederickson, Spearfish, S.D.
- Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three Purebred Steers – Jackson and Griffin Chastain, Arlington, Texas
- Champion Individual Purebred Steer – Justis Cant, Imbler, Ore.
- Reserve Champion Individual Purebred Steer – Wyatt Wichman, Moore, Mont. Champion Pen-of-Three Commercial Steers – Jackson and Griffin Chastain, Arlington, Texas
- Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three Commercial Steers – Suter Clark, Gretna, Va.
- Champion Individual Commercial Steer – Tava Gustafson, Junction City, Kan. Reserve Champion Individual Commercial Steer – Rylie Larson, Lacrosse, Kan.
- Special recognition awards went to:
- Highest Marbling Score Purebred Division – Matthew Elzemeyer, Richmond, Ind. Highest Marbling Score Commercial Division – Jackson and Griffin Chastain, Arlington, Texas
- Highest Average Daily Gain Purebred Division – Justis Cant, Imbler, Ore.
- Highest Average Daily Gain Commercial Division – Claire Collins, Frederick, Okla.
