Programs & Events

Leadership Roles

Equipping and preparing all JRA stakeholders to be leaders, innovators, stewards and advocates for the Red Angus breed, the beef industry and agriculture. Applications for the Junior Red Angus Board of Directors are now open, and will close May 17, 2024. 

2024-2025 Candidate Handbook

JRA Board application

July 14 -18, 2025 – Montana

Build friendships, industry knowledge, and communication skills during JRA’s summer event that combines cattle tours, educational programs and fun! Compete in a variety of contests to build your leadership and stockman skills. This is a great chance to meet breeders from throughout the country, as well as travel!

Dates: March 27-30, 2025

SPARK is a dynamic and transformative leadership development program designed to cultivate the next generation of Red Angus leaders and breeders. Geared toward junior members aged 16 to 21, this program offers a unique blend of experiential learning, mentorship, and skill-building activities aimed at fostering leadership qualities, personal growth, and social responsibility.

Our program is built on the belief that every young breeder possesses inherent leadership potential waiting to be unlocked and nurtured. Through 3-day interactive workshops, team-building exercises, and hands-on experiences, participants are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to become effective leaders in the beef industry and beyond.

By participating in SPARK, junior members emerge with a newfound sense of confidence, purpose and empowerment, ready to make a meaningful difference in their communities and create positive change in the industry. SPARK participants have the skills, knowledge and passion to lead with integrity and impact.

The 2025 schedule and application are coming soon!
SPARK is an elite leadership conference hosted by GKB Cattle at Hi-Point Ranch. Limited spots will be available for the 2025 SPARK Leadership Class. Applicants must submit an application to be considered for SPARK. Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and applicants will be chosen to attend SPARK by the committee.

Application Deadline - January 3, 2025
Apply here now!

FAQs
Q: How old do you have to be to attend SPARK?
A: Members must be 16 to 21 as of Jan. 1, 2025.
Q: How do I attend SPARK?
A: There will be an application process to select individuals as there are limited spots available. You must be a JRA member.
Q: Is there a registration fee?
A: If selected as an attendee, there will be a $250 registration fee.

View the Powering Reds Forward sale here!

How it Works:

Sale credits from leading Red Angus ranches will be auctioned off to benefit the Junior Red Angus Association and its programs. The sale credit auction will be held online in January 2025 on DVAuction. It will be open for 36 hours.

Credit tiers are $4,000, $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000.

• If you purchase a sale credit, that credit is redeemable ONLY for the specific donor’s listed sale(s) outlined in the lot description during the 2025 calendar year.
• 100% of the proceeds will be utilized for the Junior Red Angus Association and its programming.

Donor Advantages:

• No cash out of pocket while allowing the sale credit to add value to your sale. Sale credit often incentivizes active bidding on multiple lots, or the purchaser pays more than initially intended. 
• Potentially attract a new buyer to your sale(s). 
• Advertising—your ranch will be featured in an ad in the November, December and January Red Angus Magazine, with your sale date(s) being publicized along with monthly eblasts.  Each donating ranch will be featured as a JRA donor and publicized annually at JRA events. 
• Tax deductible through Red Angus Stakeholders Foundation.

Purchaser Advantages:

• If you’re planning on purchasing a herd bull, replacement females, show heifer, or leading genetics from any of the donor firms within the year, why not?
• Not only are you utilizing part of your hard-earned dollars to purchase your next ‘needed’ breeding piece, but you’re also supporting both the Red Angus breed and future generations of youth in agriculture.
• Tax deductible through Red Angus Stakeholders Foundation.

Fill out this form to be a sale credit donor. 

Are you a college student? Are you looking for opportunities to elevate your skills to excel in interviews, internships and your career? Join us for the inaugural Elevate Collegiate Leadership Conference, held in conjunction with the National Red Angus Convention. Scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12 to Friday, Sept. 13 in Lincoln, Nebraska, the Elevate conference will be an engaging and impactful professional development experience that hones your ability to excel in a professional environment. Participants will explore strengths-based development to recognize their potential personally and in teams. They’ll also get hands-on training (and practice) in skills that will be essential for succeeding in college and their career. Space is limited.

The registration fee of $200 covers the participant’s conference registration and meals. Lodging is not included; however, we can assist participants with identifying participants to share a room. For questions, please contact Kim Heller at (515) 851-2019 or kim@redangus.org.

To register, click here and select "Elevate Collegiate Leadership Conference." 

The Young Stockman Program is designed to provide juniors with hands-on experience related to beef production. Gleaning insights, guidance and advice from university faculty, industry professionals, and cattle producers. The skills learned at the Young Stockman Program are incorporated into the Red Angus Youth Expo. For questions, contact Taylor Dorsey at 970-397-0356 or juniors@redangus.org.

Stay tuned for information regarding the Young Stockman Program!

National Junior Red Angus Show

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE RED ANGUS YOUTH EXPO WEBSITE!

Save the date for the Inaugural Red Angus Youth Expo to be held June 8-13, 2025 in Springfield, Missouri.

The event, hosted by the Red Angus Association of America, will provide opportunities for youth and their families to engage in education, competitions and Junior Red Angus national heifer, steer and bull shows.

To volunteer to help with the expo or to donate for this prestigious youth event, contact Taylor Dorsey, junior coordinator, at youthexpo@redangus.org.

RAYE Internship Opportunities

The Red Angus Youth Expo offers two internship opportunities: the RAYE show internship and the RAYE media internship. All college students are eligible to apply for this opportunity. Interns will assist staff during an approximately two-week long internship. Interns will arrive at the show site before the RAYE and will work through the duration of the event, including the wrap-up.

The application process for the 2024 Red Angus Youth Expo internships are now closed. Check back early in 2025 for the next opportunity to be a Red Angus Youth Expo intern. Email related questions to youthexpo@redangus.org.

Explore the beef industry in Canada

The JRA and the Canadian Junior Angus Association work together to have an "exchange" between juniors to attend the CJAA GOAL conference and the JRA Round-Up.

If you are interested in applying for "sponsorship" from the JRA to attend, please read the following requirements and send in application if you are eligible.

The GOAL conference is held over President's Day weekend and focuses on leadership and industry development.  

Requirements:

1. Must be a current, active member of the JRA
2. Must be at least 18 years of age or travel with a parent
3. Must have attended a minimum of two Round-Ups
4. A passport is required for international travel.

Selection will be based on JRA involvement on the national level.

Eligible JRA members must submit a completed application by Nov. 1 via e-mail to the Junior Programs Coordinator at juniors@redangus.org.

Link to GOAL application

Scholarship Opportunities

RAAA/JRA COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

The Red Angus Association of America is pleased to award a minimum of five $2000 college scholarships through the support of the Red Angus Foundation, Inc.

The following criteria will be used to determine eligibility:

1. Applicant must be a current JRA member in good standing with the RAAA at the time of application.
2. Applicant must be a graduating high school senior or a current college freshman with definite plans to enroll in post-secondary education in the fall of the application year.
3. Complete applications must be submitted by February 15 of the application year.  Applications will only be accepted via the online portal.
4. Scholarship awards are not limited to one year, last year’s recipients may submit a scholarship application for the current year.

The online Application requires following elements submitted via the online portal:

• Resume
• Current Transcript
• Head and Shoulders Photograph
• Three Letters of Reference (must meet the February 15 deadline)

JRA members must register online at redangus.awardspring.com. Once registered with the site, the application contains several short answer questions.  You can access the application to review the questions prior to completing and submitting the application for scholarship consideration.

If you have questions about the scholarship process, please contact JRA Activities coordinator at juniors@redangus.org.

JRA Scholarship Online Application 

HEATHER PRESSER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Troy and Annette Presser, Presser Red Angus, Turtle Lake, N.D., have established the Heather Presser Memorial Scholarships in loving memory of their daughter, Heather. Heather was taken from her family in an ATV accident in 2012.

The scholarships will assist JRA members’ participation in national Junior Red Angus Association (JRA) leadership events throughout the year. Selected JRA members may use the scholarships to defray registration and travel expenses to major JRA leadership events – Elevate, Young Stockman Program and Round-Up. Scholarship application is open to any JRA member.

JRA members must complete and submit the application by the respective event’s registration deadline. The application can be found on the event registration website. 

Available scholarships:

• Young Stockman Program – $500
• Elevate –  $500
• Round-Up – $500

Junior Red Angus Member Round-Up Scholarship

Two $200 scholarships are available to assist JRA members' participation Round-Up. The application can be found on the event registration website. The application is due May 1. 

Beef Industry Education Scholarship Program

• Review the supplied Red Angus breed promotion packet to accurately promote the Red Angus breed when appropriate throughout the educational experience.
• Submit an article for publication, 5-10 photos, and at least two quotes reviewing the educational experience within 15 days of the experience. These items will be used in a variety of Red Angus Association media outlets (e.g. Red Angus Magazine, website, Facebook, Instagram, etc.).

• North Dakota Stockmen’s Association’s Tomorrow’s Top Hands Beef Leadership Summit
• Texas Cattle Feeders Association’s Junior Fed Beef Career & Leadership Program
• New Mexico’s Youth Ranch Management Camp
• Iowa 4-H’s Animal Science Round Up
• Texas A&M’s Beef Short Course Youth Track
• Artificial Insemination Certification Course

Beef Industry Education Scholarship Application

ROUND-UP COMMERCIAL CATTLEMEN'S SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship is available to facilitate the involvement of youth interested in commerical beef production.

A private fund has been established to provide one, fully paid sponsorship for a young Red Angus enthusiast to attend Round-Up. This award will provide full registration expense to Round-Up as well as travel to Round-Up for the recipient.

The founders of this award have two primary areas of intent:

1. Provide means for a young person with financial limitations to attend Round-Up
2. Encourage involvement of commercial operation-based young people with Round-Up and Red Angus junior programs

This funding for this scholarship is not intended for juniors already members of the JRA but for a young person with interest in Red Angus and the beef industry from a commercial background and one who would not be able to attend Round-Up due to expense. We are looking for young people who are motivated by the cattle industry and may benefit from attending Round-Up. Potential nominees may include children or grandchildren of your customers and bull buyers, farm- or ranch-oriented youth who don’t participate in JRA because they do not have registered cattle, young people who are buying bulls, or perhaps heifers, for use in a crossbreeding program.

RAAA and JRA members may suggest potential candidates by contacting the Junior Coordinator at juniors@redangus.org or can share the scholarship information directly. The applications are due May 1 and can be found on the Round-Up registration website.  

The award founders will select the individual recipient.

Internship Opportunities

Three easy steps to using the Intern Placement Program:

1. Review the list of breeders and industry partners who are interested in hosting an intern.
2. Directly contact any operations on the potential intern hosts list in which you have an interest in working as an intern. Phone and/or personal interviews are encouraged; discussions on compensation, housing, transportation, insurance, expectations from each party, date of beginning and ending internship, days off etc. are between the employer and employee. JRA or RAAA has no role in negotiating actual work experience details.
3. Provide any information requested by the potential host.

Some Red Angus breeders have expressed their preference to host interns during the fall or spring to provide the best learning environment with a wider variety of opportunities on an operation. So, even if you are not seeking an internship for college, you may consider taking time in the fall or spring to become involved in an internship.

For more information, contact RAAA Junior Programs Coordinator.

Potential Intern Hosts

Red Angus Operations

Bieber Red Angus Ranch, Craig Bieber
11450 353rd Ave • Leola SD 57456
605-439-3628
Email • www.bieberredangus.com

Gill Red Angus, Bryan Gill
HC 64 Box 146
Timber Lake, SD 57656-9801
Email
701-730-0134

Kniebel Cattle Co., Mary Ann and Kevin Kniebel
428 S. 2600 Road
White City, KS 66872
Email
785-349-2821

R.A. Brown Ranch, Donnell & Kelli Brown
PO Box 727
Throckmorton, TX 76483
940-849-0611 • 940-256-1406
Email • www.RABrownRanch.com

Red Hill Farms, Sarah and Bart Jones
466 Red Hill Road
Lafayette, TN  37083
615-666-3098
Email • www.redhillfarms.net

Strawberry Ridge Reds, Jim Frazier, Manager
101 Elbow Creek
Livingston, MT  59047
406-223-0389
jim@srredangus.com

State and Regional Events

Reap the benefits of membership on the state or regional level. Get involved to gain industry skills and to build your network. Contact your state association for more information.

Get in touch with our Junior Programs Coordinator to learn about events: 

Taylor Dorsey
juniors@redangus.org
970-397-0356