The 2024 NJAS returns to the summer lineup.
Mark your calendars for the summer trip of a lifetime. There’s a Showdown in Madtown June 29 to July 6 in Madison, Wis. Join the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) for a week of camaraderie and competition.
Familiar favorites return to the schedule like the Auxiliary-sponsored All-American Certified Angus Beef Cook-off and the auctioneering, beef science posters, creative writing and Skill-a-thon contests.
For our youngest Angus fanatics, there’s the Angus Mentoring Program (AMP). With AMP, younger members are paired with older peers for the week. The duos explore together during the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS), spending quality time together to not only help each grow, but also to learn more about each other and their home states.
While there are events for everyone, juniors eagerly await the opportunity to showcase their quality livestock in the ring. This year, the Phenotype and Genotype Show (PGS) returns for the fifth year, with a few additions.
For the first time, bred and owned bulls are joining the PGS competition.
“With the past success and popularity of the PGS, we are eager to open the door even further for our juniors,” says Madeline Bauer, senior events coordinator for the American Angus Association. “This decision allows NJAA members to compete with more of their animals and further showcase the work they’re doing at home to create the best Angus animals possible with their breeding decisions.”
Also new to the PGS this year, judges will receive the full suite of expected progeny differences (EPDs). Though more genetic data is available than ever before, the animals’ ranking in this event will continue to be based 50% on their performance on paper and 50% on their standing in the ring.
“We’re excited to incorporate more EPDs into the judging process,” Bauer explains. “Angus members of all ages put so much time and effort into mating decisions to create competitive genetics, and the PGS really rewards those choices.”
Beyond igniting everyone’s competitive spirit, the NJAS is a place to come together as an Angus family. From the Opening Ceremonies to Family Fun Night, Bauer describes the week as the “can’t miss event of the summer.”
“It’s more than just a cattle show,” she says. “Some families happily call this week their family vacation, and many others consider it an annual tradition. It’s the perfect time to bring together families from across the country to unite in a shared love for Angus cattle.”
There are chances to make new friends and reconnect with old ones, Bauer adds. She encourages everyone to join the NJAA in Madison, whether they’ve never attended before or they’ve never missed an NJAS.
SCAN for info or visit www.njas.info for more information and a breakdown of the show week schedule.