Individuals 8 – 21 years of age are invited to compete in the Larry Higgins Bison Junior Judging Contest on Friday, January 20th at 9 am in the Yards at the National Western Stock Show. This event is hosted by the National Bison Association and the Rocky Mountain Bison Association and held in conjunction with the Gold Trophy Show and Sale (GTSS) during the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado.
The GTSS has been the industry’s premier bison breeding stock auction at the National Western Stock Show for over 40 years, and participants will judge bison that are already there for the show and sale. Students will judge four classes of bison and provide oral reasons on one class, to be selected by the judges.
Top three individual contestants are eligible to earn up to $1,500 in college scholarships. Additional recognition will be provided for the top three registered teams and the top three junior participants (12 years of age or younger). There are no entry fees. This event is open to individuals 8-21 years old who are academically eligible. Registration in advance is encouraged.
Registration and full competition rules are available at: https://bit.ly/3ePi8gw .
The NBA’s Junior Judging program is based on criteria used in 4-H and FFA livestock judging contests. The bison judging program is a brainchild of NBA member and Stratford, Okla., veterinarian and bison producer, Dr. Gerald Parsons, who proposed taking the contest to the national level after success with bison judging contests within the state of Oklahoma.
“The bison industry wants to attract young people to the business, and this judging contest is one way to encourage young people to learn about bison,” Parsons said.
The NBA Junior Judging contest has been held for over a decade at the National Western Stock Show and has educated nearly 1,000 young people about how to discern a healthy, quality American bison that would be a beneficial addition to a breeding program. The event was named the Larry Higgins Bison Junior Judging Contest in memory longtime Colorado bison rancher and Junior Judging volunteer, Larry Higgins.
The NBA offers a Youth membership at a highly discounted rate to those 21 years of age and younger who would like to learn more about this emerging sector of American agriculture. Learn more at www.bisoncentral.com.
