We’ve all been told to broaden our horizons at one point in our lives, and now is a great time to start.

Being a member of the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) allows you many opportunities for growth outside of just the show ring. To broaden your horizons, be sure to scope out all the educational opportunities offered to junior Angus members through both the NJAA and the American Angus Association. By participating in contests offered in conjunction with the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) or by attending conferences such as Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD), Raising the Bar, and Angus Convention, you can gain valuable industry knowledge and lifelong leadership skills.

At the LEAD conference, juniors get to visit different Angus operations across the country each year and broaden their horizons by touring other agricultural companies or sights specific to that area. On the other hand, attending the Raising the Bar Conference can broaden your knowledge of different agricultural colleges and what they have to offer in terms of education and facilities for learning and research. This opportunity could possibly shed light on an opportunity for higher education that you had not previously considered. Lastly, the Angus Convention is an opportunity for learning that many juniors have not considered, but could possibly find extremely educational. From exploring the trade show to attending the sessions offered, I have learned about the many tools offered through the American Angus Association to assist breeders with marketing their herd, as well as new research and technologies to make them more efficient and profitable.