TSCRA News Update: Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow contest winners

TSCRA News Update, Aug 11, 2009

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Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow contest winners

The Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow contest was held Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 at the Kleberg Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. There were nine strong contestants and four first place winners.

The first place winners are: Mandy-Jo Laurent of Winnsboro, Texas; Mason Parish of Conroe, Texas; Michael Nepveux of Brenham, Texas; and Heather Hirsch of Athens, Texas. Each first place winner won a $1000 cash prize and a $500 scholarship.

The contest was hosted by Texas CattleWomen and funded by the Texas Beef Checkoff Program and private donations. The contestants competed in four rigorous categories: media interview, consumer promotion, classroom presentation and issues response essay.

The four winners are now the Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow Team and will each make five appearances on behalf of the Texas beef industry promoting beef consumption to youth.

"This is the only program where youth is speaking to youth about the nutritional value of beef and telling the true story that beef is a safe and wholesome product produced by ranchers who are excellent stewards of the land and their animals," said Texas CattleWomen Chairman Rosemary Gambino. "These four young adults will be trained speakers representing Texas beef production."

2009 contest winners. Left-to-right: Mason Parish, Michael Nepveux, Heather Hirsch and Mandy-Jo Laurent.

Mandy-Jo Laurent was the high point winner and will represent Texas at the National Beef Ambassador contest in Fort Smith, Ark. in October. This past year she served as Texas 4-H secretary. She has won numerous public speaking awards on both the state and national levels. Mandy-Jo raises Brahman and Santa Gertrudis cattle and has had great success in the show ring.

Mandy-Jo will be a freshman at Texas Tech University this fall and will study agricultural communications and political science. She will be a member of Texas Tech's seven-time National Champion Judging Team. Her career goal is to return to the beef industry and work as a lobbyist.

Mason Parish is a senior this fall at Caney Creek High School in Conroe, Texas. He will be serving as the Area III FFA vice president, Caney Creek FFA president, Cut-N-Shoot 4-H second vice president, a National Santa Gertrudis director, and a National Honor Society member.

Through FFA and 4-H, Mason has raised both registered and commercial cattle for the show ring and sales along side helping with his family's cow calf operation. He hopes to attend Texas A&M University next year to study political science and law with hopes of later serving as a politician and advocate for the beef industry.

Michael Nepveux developed an appreciation for agriculture and the beef industry growing up in the rural town of Brenham, Texas. In high school, he served as president of the Fellowship of Christian Musicians, platoon leader and crew leader in band and squad leader in JROTC. He is an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, where he is involved with the youth group. He also attained the award of Eagle Scout. He is currently a sophomore at Blinn College in Bryan and will be transferring to Texas A&M University to major in agribusiness.

Heather Hirsch will be a junior this fall at Texas A&M University. She is majoring in agricultural economics with a minor in english. Upon completion of her degree, she plans to attend law school and hopes to one day represent the beef industry in Austin or Washington DC. She currently is working for Dr. Jason Cleere on campus at the Texas AgriLife Extension's beef cattle office, where she helps host the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course.

Heather has always had a passion for the beef industry and showed many champions in the show ring winning Grand Champion at the Fort Worth Junior Shorthorn Heifer Show. She is active in Saddle and Sirloin, Aggie REPS and the Ag Economics Society.

All four winners of the Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow contest would like to thank Texas CattleWomen for volunteering their time hosting this project and Texas Beef Council for training and judging at the contest.

This program is funded through private donations and the Texas Beef Checkoff. The awards luncheon was sponsored by Novartis Animal Health. For more information please go to www.txcattlewomen.org.