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NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Whitney Whitaker
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
While the list of things to love about the Junior Board is long, the part I love most is the friends and relationships I have created. Especially being from California, I really enjoy getting to meet people from all over the country, both young and old.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
Even if it may not come as a surprise to many, I am only 4’11” according to my drivers license. I know, you couldn’t tell from just looking at me.
What is your favorite stock show memory?
As I look back on stock show memories, it’s hard to narrow it down to one favorite memory. However, one part of my show career that I will always hold close to my heart is winning a Golden Bear just as I finished showing at my state fair.
How [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Dalton Smith
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
My favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board is getting to meet junior members and their families from all over the country at the NJSA shows. It’s a great experience being able to help them in the ring and getting to know them through the other contests.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I actually grew up on a dairy farm where my family milked around 100 Jersey cows. I grew to love showing more than just cattle and that is what led me to the NJSA.
What is your favorite stock show memory?
My favorite stock show memory is when my younger cousin won Reserve Champion Market Hog at the 2015 North American International Livestock Exposition. It was his first year showing pigs, so it was a great experience for our whole family. Now he’s [ … ]
Prep like a Pro
By: Lindsey Robinson
Like any sport, preparing your animal for the show ring takes time, patience, and a lot of dedication. Throughout my show career, I’ve found Robert Collier’s quote to be true when it comes to show preparation, “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” There is no magic show stick, only a lot of practice.
Missouri summers aren’t known for their cool breezes so walking and feeding during the morning when its cool is important to maximize feed efficiency. At my house, pig showing is a family affair, which means I have four siblings to wake up before heading outside for morning chores. After years of this routine, we’ve learned not to speak to one another before either 1) they had coffee before heading out the door or 2) we’ve been outside for at least a half hour. Generally, we start [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Katherine Ramage
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
My favorite aspect of the Junior Board is that I get to travel the country with others who share my passion for showing pigs. I also love getting to help and interact with the youth who are just excited to be at the show.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
A fun fact about myself is that I started playing volleyball when I was 5 years old.
What is your favorite stock show memory?
My favorite stock show memories include having the to opportunity to serve on the NJSA Junior Board, meeting the people I have and winning champion gilt and barrow at my county fair.
How do you hope to impact the agriculture industry?
I hope I can impact the agriculture industry by helping shine a positive light on the industry and talk with those who are not [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Morgan Mench
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
My favorite aspect of having the honor to serve on the Junior Board is building relationships and making a network of people within the swine industry. During my interview I remember answering the question Craig Spray asked, “Why do you want to be on the Junior Board?” I explained that I enjoy hearing everyone’s stories throughout their journey of growth within this industry and how so much has changed over the years. I wanted to help NJSA members continue their development and succeed. It is an honor to help our youth move in a positive direction.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I always struggle with this question. I always say I have a younger sister who is my best friend and she doesn’t realize that I look up to her as much as she [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Caleb Grohmann
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
Being a role model for the largest youth livestock organization in the United States. I truly enjoy being able to have a positive impact on the kids’ lives, with the ultimate hope I can inspire them to strive to be the best they can be in each step of their lives.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
One of my goals is to develop a company that becomes one of the leading innovators within the commercial goat industry.
What is your favorite stock show memory?
The family experiences. Nothing brought the Grohmann family together more than travelling to hog shows!
How do you hope to impact the agriculture industry?
One of my main goals is to encourage positive progress within the swine industry that promotes the sustainability of pork production for all future generations to come. Moreover, I would [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Hannah Frobose
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
For me, the opportunity to work closely and collaborate with some of the greatest young minds in the pork industry is one of the greatest privileges that comes with being on the NJSA Junior Board of Directors. I’ve made amazing, lifelong friendships during my time on the board and I am constantly impressed by how motivated and driven our group is about the swine industry. We have established tremendous goals for this association and because we are equally compelled to give back to our members, we have come so much closer to accomplishing our objectives.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I have two different shaped thumbs and webbed toes.
What is your favorite stock show memory?
I’ve made so many incredible memories in and out of the show ring, but my favorite has to be this [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Taylor Conley
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
My favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board is the interaction with the youth. Growing up in the NJSA, I was influenced a lot by junior board members. It is my goal to provide that same influence on the youth of organization. I hope to be a mentor to younger members the way past junior board members were to me.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
In 2018, I will live in three states within the year. I am spending my spring semester at Oklahoma State University on National Student Exchange, I will live in Pennsylvania (at home) over the summer, and I will be back at Iowa State University in the fall.
What is your favorite stock show memory?
My favorite memory is winning the sweepstakes at the National Junior Summer Spectacular.
How do you hope [ … ]
NJSA Junior Board Feature :: Adrian Austin
What is your favorite aspect of being on the Junior Board?
For me, the National Junior Swine Association is not just about who can win a hog show. Ultimately, the banners may fade and we might forget who won a certain show, but the examples we set and how we behaved as leaders will remain. I have a desire to be that type of positive example for young NJSA members, just as past board members were for me. There comes a point in everyone’s life where they discover what their passion is, or what they are meant to do, and watching the younger members discover their purpose in the show ring is truly the rewarding part of serving on the junior board. To me, these young people are a constant reminder that competitive livestock events are meant to serve as an outlet for youth to [ … ]
Last week at the NJSA Junior Board retreat members of our Junior Board of Directors were able to reflect on some great people and memories in their life. Read the responses of Morgan Cox and Lexi Marek below!
Question: Who is your biggest role model?
A (Morgan Cox): My biggest role model is someone I spent my entire childhood with. She has been both my babysitter and my partner in crime. She may be 10 years older than I am, but we are like sisters born only a few minutes apart. I call Rikki Hege my sister and I look up to her in just about every aspect.
Rikki is a wonderful wife, a beautiful mother of 2, and the only awesome hairdresser I will ever let touch my hair. She is always showing me the woman I want to become in my spiritual journey, family life, and work life. I admire how [ … ]