On contest day, a group of young producers stand in a circle running through their skit. The all-girls team from Missouri is competing in the Senior Steak division. Between lines, the girls chuckle about hiccups in their delivery or inside jokes that have developed over months of practice. But when they step in front of the judges, the team flawlessly executes every play in the script. 

“Keeping with this year’s junior show theme, Bases Loaded in the Bluegrass, we are the Rockford Peaches from the movie A League of Their Own,” described team member Clara Wallace. “Each of our starting players is a CAB^® standard.” 

Through the skit, the Peaches describe the attributes of each of the 10 players which ensures the coffee-rubbed baseball steak served up to the judges slides into home with a quality eating experience. In the end, the team deems the specification on marbling to be their Most Valuable Player.  

“Always look for good marbling,” said team member Melaina Thiltgen. “It’s your flavor, your tenderness, your juiciness and that’s the three most important things when it comes to a good steak.” 

Although Chef Michael was judging in a different category, he would likely say — the team hit it out of the park with their MVP call. He said not only is marbling important, but it is often the most visible characteristic and the easiest one for consumers to connect to. 

“It can be overwhelming to stand at the meat counter and make a selection. Let’s make it easier for consumers to understand,” the chef continued. ‘If you took a ribeye, ripped all the packaging off and put it next to another one — what are we going to talk to them about? It’s the intramuscular fat; how much marbling there is.” 

Just as it can be intimidating for the consumer to order a cut of meat, it can be intimidating for a young producer to advocate for the product they’ve had a hand in raising. That’s where the cook-off contest’s skit and presentation portion of the event steps up to the plate. Missouri team member Ella Coulter has competed in the contest for three years and says it has helped her become more confident in conversations with people of all ages. 

“You’re putting yourselves out there a lot, getting all dressed up and giving a big skit in front of a crowd of people and then you’re also learning more about Certified Angus Beef^® along the way,” Coulter explains. “Because of that, it is so much easier when you take the silly costumes off and talk to people in the real world about beef quality.” 

With four decades of similar experiences, the Auxiliary volunteers who run the event have succeeded in developing generations of juniors who are champions of the industry they grew up in and the quality product they raise. 

“I am so proud of what this contest has become,” reflects Anne Patton Schubert, who helped organize the first contest and has served as co-chair for many years. “It is so thrilling to see how much everybody loves it.”