Murfreesboro, TN— Six Tennessee students were awarded the Youth Beef Heifer Initiative Scholarship, sponsored by the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association (TCA) and Farm Credit Mid-America (FCMA). They received this award at the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Youth Awards Banquet sponsored by Kubota Tractor Corporation, on Saturday, January 20, 2024, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The Heifer Initiative focuses on the cost-sharing of beef cattle for youth. First-place winners of each age division are awarded $2,000 and a belt buckle sponsored by the University of Tennessee Animal Science, and the second-place winners are awarded $1,000.
“The Heifer Scholarship Initiative is one of the most rewarding programs our association offers to youth,” said Melinda Perkins, TCA Director of Youth Programs and Outreach. “We can help the future leaders of our industry by offsetting the cost of purchasing a heifer. This is just one way we can help them get off to the right start in our industry. We are grateful to partner with Farm Credit Mid-America on the heifer scholarship program again this year.”
Harmon Locke of Williamson County won first place in the Youth Division and Curtis Bomar of Henry County placed second. Caroline Waters of Blount County received first place in the Junior High Division and Ivy McGillis of Davidson County placed second. Remi Gardner of Henry County won first place in the Senior Division and Cori Hopkins, also of Henry County, received second.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to work toward my goals of expanding my herd and show career,” said Cori Hopkins, second-place senior high winner. “If you are just starting, I would encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities that the TCA has available.”
This scholarship money is to be put towards the purchase of a beef heifer of their choice from a Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association member within one year of receiving the funds. There are three age divisions: Youth, Junior High, and Senior High. The application for the 2025 Beef Heifer Initiative Scholarship will be available in the fall of 2024.
TCA was founded in 1985 and has more than 6,500 members from across the state and the southeast. The organization works to provide the cattlemen of Tennessee with an organization through which they may function collectively to protect their interests and work toward the solution of cattle industry problems and to build the necessary goodwill that will bring both governmental esteem and recognition to the industry.
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For more information visit www.tncattle.org, email info@tncattle.org or call (615) 896-2333. Be sure to follow the TCA on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tncattle, Instagram, and Twitter accounts: @TennesseeCattle.
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