Greetings AJSA Members and Enthusiasts,
It’s with great pleasure that I write the very first blog post for the American Junior Simmental Association (AJSA). As vice president of the AJSA marketing committee this is a great accomplishment that I’m excited to share.
The goal of this blog is to connect with our junior membership. We hope this will be an avenue for junior members to get to know their AJSA board members and learn about what we’re doing to support the AJSA.
So, a little bit about myself… At the age of three I started showing purebred Simmental cattle in the pee wee showmanship class at my county fair. Since August of 1993 my love and passion for the beef industry has led me to where I am today. My parents, Tim and Peg and my younger brother, Kyle and I own and operate Missing Rail Simmentals which currently consists of approximately 75 head of purebred Simmental cattle. Not only do we have cattle we also raise 600 acres of row crops, consisting of mainly wheat, soybeans and corn. I’m currently a junior at Oklahoma State University to complete my Ag Communications degree in which I’d like to focus on livestock photography and advertisement design.
I know I could write on and on about the many places my involvement the beef industry has taken me, but I think the most important thing I’d like to briefly share is where the AJSA has taken me. In 1998 I attended my first AJSA National Classic in Columbus, Ohio. At that time I was a small, shy young girl that was just wanted to show cattle. I never knew at the time where the AJSA would take me. Since that time I’ve traveled thousands of miles, just as many other AJSA members have, showing cattle and creating friendships from coast to coast. At the eastern regional show in 2000 my friends bribed me with ice cream to compete in my first public speaking contest; without that wonderful ice cream and the AJSA I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s amazing how important public speaking skills are in life and the many other life skills the AJSA contests have to offer. A highlight of having this public speaking experience-I’ve been able to communicate with beef consumers as a past Ohio Beef Queen as I represented Ohio’s 20,000+ beef producers. This further taught me on why it’s important to be actively involved in the beef industry at any age.
Although participating in all of the contests at the AJSA events may be overwhelming at times, especially as a young exhibitor, think about the skills and future opportunities you’ll have in the future. The AJSA can take you many places, allow you to meet future beef industry leaders and make life long friendships.
If you have any questions about what’s happening on the AJSA board or would just like to chat feel free to contact me. I look forward to seeing everyone this summer at AJSA events!
Emily Brinkman, AJSA VP of Marketing, AJSA Eastern Region Trustee
American Junior Simmental Association 