Andrea and Lance Rutledge at the Grand Ole Opry. Andrea is the out going National Junior Red Angus President. She served 2020-2021.
"Red Cows, White Lights and Blue Grass" headlined the 2021 Red Angus Roundup trip held July 13-18 in Tennessee and Kentucky. Local youth attending include Andrea & Lance Rutledge and Jacynta Bomgardner as well as chaperone, Kristie Rutledge. There were 46 other juniors from across the country in attendance as well including 6 Youth and 3 chaperones from Montana. This trip was postponed last year and this year's turnout was the largest Roundup to date with 49 youth and 9 chaperones in attendance, including 9 youth from Montana which proved to be the largest group of any state.
Generous Red Angus donors help support the juniors on this annual trip where they are able to learn about many facets of the agricultural industry, participate in contests, tour the areas, and interact with youth from around the country.
Andrea, who served as the 2020-2021 National Junior Red Angus President, kicked off the event by welcoming the juniors and introducing the National Board. The Juniors then had some activities to get to know each other. The groups were each led by one of the 6 National Board Members and as the youth compete in different events, they are able to compile points for their team. That afternoon, the group traveled to the Middle Tennessee Research & Education Center in Spring Hill, TN. This center focuses on reproductive technologies and heifer development and members were able to get hands-on experience with ultrasound equipment and see how heifer and bull programs are being operated there.
Day 2 found the group traveling to Cadiz, KY and River Bend Farms. Alana Baker Dunn and her mom Mary Beth Baker own and operate a corn, wheat, soybean, hay and beef cattle operation that focuses on conservation. They are currently working in conjunction with other entities on a water shed research project. Alana fed the group lunch before they made their way to Murdock & Sons Farm which grows Dark Fire tobacco and industrial hemp as well as utilizes irrigation procedures. The group then traveled to Murray, KY to the Murray State University Hutson School of Agriculture where they encountered a variety of research plots and the original industrial hemp site as well as watched a drone crop sprayer. Several of the campus professors led tours and talked about their fields of expertise. A full day ended at the home of Servant's Heart Farm owner, Joanna Carraway where she treated the group to a pool party and Taco truck dinner.
The group enjoyed another full day on the 3rd day of the tour starting back at Servant's Heart Farm in Kirksey, KY where Joanna farms grain and tobacco with her young children and H2A farm staff. Joanna inspired the group with her story of overcoming adversity after the tragic loss of her husband to cancer and her tobacco contractors considering pulling their tobacco contracts. Through grit, hard work and determination, she has gone on to earn "Tobacco Producer of the Year." Joanna and her crew demonstrated how to build a fire in their firing barn in order to cure the dark fire tobacco they grow, which can be found in chewing tobacco and pipe blends. It takes at least 3 "firings" for the tobacco to reach its peak. The afternoon found the group traveling to Princeton, KY to tour the University of Kentucky Grain & Forage Center of Excellence. Here they completed hay evaluations learning how to calculate protein, moisture and digestible nutrients. The evening concluded in Sebree, KY at Diamond P Cattle Company & Noash Construction where their production primarily focuses on commercial bull production and purebred replacement heifers. Here the group got to meet Mr. Pettit, a National Red Angus Board member and his family who treated them to dinner, s'mores, and Ag Olympics.
Day 4 was a first for many of the Montana group as they traveled to Owensboro Riverport Authority in Owensboro, KY which provides warehousing and distribution services for a wide array of products. They serve as a premier inland port in the Ohio River Valley. Barges and cranes operate daily to ensure products are housed and shipped; including paper products, aluminum, and car frames. The group traveled to Whiteville, KY to Hayden Farms. Located in the Ohio Valley of Kentucky, they raise beef and poultry, which includes the country's only poultry barn with a built-in viewing classroom. Here the juniors competed in a meats contest. The group traveled to Bowling Green, KY to see Chaney's Dairy Farm & Barn and enjoy ice cream. The next stop was Lafayette, TN and Red Hills Farms. This family farm raises Red Angus, Simmental, SimAngus & Angus cows as well as sows and tobacco.
The final day of the tour found the group at Nashville, TN. The day stated with tours of The Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Theatre, including pictures on the circle of the stage. The Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet found 2 Montana members on the Champion Team, Jacynta Bomgardner and Kenneth Gruszie from Chinook. Jacynta Bomgardner was the recipient of the JRA Round-up Commercial Cattleman Scholarship. The new Junior National Board was elected and Andrea Rutledge retired after serving for 2 years on the board. The group was then treated to the Saturday night performance at the Opry and enjoyed the music of Montana's own, Stephanie Quayle as well as Vince Gill, Sara Evans and Ricky Skaggs in addition to celebrating Bill Anderson's 60th anniversary with the Opry.
The National Junior Red Angus' statement is, "Equipping and preparing all JRA stakeholders to be leaders, innovators, stewards and advocates for the Red Angus breed, the beef industry and agriculture." Andrea, Lance, Jacynta and Kristie all agree that this trip helped to meet that goal and was an all-around wonderful opportunity with a great mix of learning and fun!
