Knowing Angus facts is one thing. Applying that knowledge in a real-life situation is another.

At this year’s National Junior Angus Show (NJAS), competitors in the Skill-a-thon contest did both. National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members evaluated expected progeny differences (EPDs), mixed feed rations and even looked at embryos under a microscope, all as part of a revamped contest focused on hands-on education.

“Skill-a-thon isn’t just about testing your knowledge, but testing your skills,” says Paige Van Dyke, American Angus Association events coordinator.

A total of 236 juniors competed in the contest, including 34 novice, 78 junior, 85 intermediate and 39 senior participants.

The contest combines breed and industry knowledge with practical applications, challenging participants to think beyond the show ring.

“It’s a unique contest that combines show ring, commercial cattle knowledge, and real world scenarios in a written and hands-on practicum format,” Van Dyke explains.

This year, the contest put an even greater emphasis on experimental learning.

“We decided to take it to the next level and provide more of a hands-on learning opportunity,” she notes.

Participants worked through stations covering a broad range of industry topics.

“It covers a lot of bases,” says Jackson Corner, Caledonia, Ont. “It has carcass questions, identification of fly species and knowledge of EPDs, and other questions specific to the Angus breed in the industry.”

Corner, the senior division winner, says the hands-on stations were a highlight of the contest.

“My favorite part of it would be doing the hands-on questions,” he shares. “We had to arm a fake cow and feel the birth position of the calf.”

In addition to reproductive management concepts, juniors learned how to fill out an ear tag, where to stand when working cattle and other practical skills they could encounter in everyday cattle production.

The expanded contest was made possible through the support of Lori Montgomery, agriculture instructor at Pratt Community College, and her family, who helped bring the vision to life by providing equipment and expertise for the revamped stations.

“They were extremely influential in this revamp,” Van Dyke adds.

Learning by doing

Corner says the contest encourages participants to develop skills that extend beyond success in the show ring.

“They encourage young people to learn skills beyond just showing cattle and things in the show ring, whether that’s Skill-a-thon, judging, fitting or anything like that,” he explains. “I think every contest just pushes you to become a more-well rounded person.”

Junior division winner Claire Atterholt, Ohio, used those resources while preparing for the contest.

“Before the Skill-a-thon, I did a bunch of research,” Atterholt says. “I looked up information about the Angus breed and all that stuff.”

She adds the Beef Education Enhancing the Future (BEEF) Academy helped familiarize her with terminology and concepts that appeared in the competition.

That willingness to learn is exactly what organizers hope to encourage through Skill-a-thon.

At the end of the day, there may be winners selected, but Van Dyke says the true purpose of the contest is education.

“I would tell juniors to use contests as a learning opportunity,” Van Dyke notes. “You may not know every answer and that’s okay, use it as an opportunity to learn and ask questions for next year.”

Participants are encouraged to ask questions afterward and discuss concepts they may not have understood, creating an environment focused on education.

That educational concept is what Corner believes makes the contest worthwhile.

“Not everyone leaves with a banner, but everyone leaves having learned something,” he says.

As the NJAA continues to invest in programs like Skill-a-thon, Van Dyke says the goal remains preparing the next generation of Angus breeders and industry leaders.

“It’s important to educate and invest in the future leaders of our breed, the junior members,” Van Dyke says. “Providing educational opportunities and resources that help our junior members, grow, and succeed is an invaluable investment in the future of our breed.”