Three young women have received scholarships totalling $4,500. Meghan McGillivray of Kamloops, BC received the first-place scholarship of $2,000; Halley Adams of Forestburg, AB received the second-place scholarship of $1,500; and Heidi Tymko of St. Paul, AB received the third-place scholarship of $1,000. The scholarships were presented at Showdown, the annual national Canadian Junior Angus (CJA) show.
Meghan McGillivray of McGillivray Livestock is a director on the CJA board. In 2017 she was selected as one of Canada's official youth representatives at the World Angus Forum in Scotland. Since joining the CJA six years ago, she has attended every Showdown and Guiding Outstanding Angus Leaders (GOAL) conference. She is currently studying physiology at McGill University, which she believes is an excellent prerequisite to medical school, working towards her goal of becoming a sports medicine doctor. She also coaches competitive gymnastics and is a cheerleader at McGill.
Halley Adams of Ter-Ron Farms has been contributing to Canadian Junior Angus for 10 years. She currently serves as the president of the Alberta Junior Angus Association. She plans to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and is in her second year of pre-veterinary studies. She hopes to open her own clinic and pursue a career in embryo transplant. Outside of her studies and helping out on the farm, Adams enjoys playing the clarinet, running meetings and events as president of her 4-H Beef Club and serving as assistant captain for the Stettler Storm midget female hockey team.
Heidi Tymko of Crestview Angus is also a 10-year CJA member. In 2016 she joined the CJA board as an Alberta director. Tymko is interested in the sustainability and productivity of purebred cattle and ways to make beef cattle production more efficient for the world's increasing population. She is currently in her second year of agribusiness studies at the University of Saskatchewan.
Canadian Junior Angus (CJA) is the national association for Angus youth up to age 21. CJA's goal is to help prepare future cattlemen for the beef industry by educating and informing Juniors about the Angus industry.
Showdown began in 2000 as way for Juniors from across the nation to gather in one location to exhibit their Angus cattle in conformation divisions. It rotates to provinces throughout the country every July. This year 98 juniors and 143 head of cattle took part in Showdown in Barrie, ON. There have been many different activities and contests added over the years with 16 competitions now available including print marketing, sales talk, judging, team judging, team grooming, photography, literature, art, scrapbooking, graphic design, farm sign, public speaking, Angus cook-off, best herdsman, showmanship, and conformation as the current competitions.
Source : Canadian Angus Association