THIS ISSUE:
March/April 2025
President: Carla Jurgenson
Vice President: David Mool
Secretary: Clay Sellmeyer
Business Manager: Doug Turner
Past President: David Jenkins
Bureau County: Vaughn Kiner
Central Illinois: Luke Lemenager
Logan County : Carla Jurgenson
Northern Illinois: Jarad Carroll
South Central: Richard Hurst
Wabash Valley: Shaye Harre
Directors at Large:
Sam Brumleve
Brent Hinkle
T.J. Curtin
Brian Hutchins
Kyle Buetke
Jeff Dameron
Chris Cassady
Clay Sellmeyer
Dan Naughton
Eric McClure
David Mool
Bodee Schlipf
Brad Evans
Tracey Rawlings
CONTACT
To place advertisements or your latest Angus news contact: Olivia Hoots Illinois Beef Editor Illinois Beef Association 217-787-4280 olivia@illinoisbeef.com www.illinoisbeef.com
ON THE COVER
Photo by Devin Bollman of Breckyn Bloomberg exhibiting her Angus heifer at the 2025 Illinois Beef Expo.
Message from your President
This will be the last message I will be writing as the current president of our association. It has been very gratifying serving the association over the last two years. The Board of Directors have stepped up to the challenges of change and have offered alternatives to the loss of our Futurity Show & Sale in the very successful Bred Female Sale in December and offering a mini conference prior to our annual meeting and association banquet on March 8. This board has made it a goal to offer events that meet the needs of the show side and the commercial side of our members.
It looks like this year is getting off to a great start beginning with our partnership with the Illinois Beef Association. The Illinois Beef Expo was a great opportunity to showcase our breed. Angus were well represented in the Illinois Performance Tested bull sale. The high selling bull was a yearling Angus bull, selling for $13,000. The bull, Kramer Farms Goalkeeper 2348, was sold by Keith and Brady Kramer of Farina. The high selling senior Angus bull consigned by Joe Curtin Cattle Company, Stonington, sold for $9,000. The 21 Angus bulls in the sale averaged $6,807. Congratulations to all the consignees.
The Angus junior show continued to show the quality of our breed and the superb youth that are actively promoting Angus through their hard work and perseverance. Congratulations to Brecklyn Bloomberg on her Champion Angus Heifer and Macie Bartlow on her Reserve Angus Heifer. All the juniors should be applauded for their efforts in showing and preparing their animals for a great show. Continue the hard work and we look forward to seeing you all in other rings throughout the show season. At the same time, we want to tell the juniors who work with cattle everyday but may not show them, thank you for your stewardship in raising cattle to be offered as breeding stock and food for the masses. It takes a village….
Best regards,
Your President, Carla Jurgenson
imcntry1@aol.com | (217) 737-6160
Carla Jurgenson, Illinois Angus Association President
Jentz Promoted to Chief Operating Officer
Angus fieldman draws on experience for new role.
A deep respect for the history of the Angus breed, paired with a passion for the future – Casey Jentz, recently named chief operating officer of the American Angus Association®, will bring to his new role.
“Angus is the heartbeat of the beef industry,” Jentz said. “The people before us have done a great job of leading Angus and positioning the breed as a leader in the industry. We can build on that and push forward into the future.”
For more than 10 years, Jentz has served as an Angus regional manager in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. During that time, he worked directly with Association members helping them understand Association programs, market their cattle with Angus Media services and answer their questions.
In his new role, Jentz will be responsible for direction and strategy of several departments, including member and field services, communications, performance programs, commercial programs, and events and junior activities.
“We are thrilled to promote Casey to this new role,” said Mark McCully, chief executive officer for the Association. “Not only does he have years of experience working with Angus breeders in the field, but his knowledge of the Association and its programs will also be invaluable as COO. In particular, I love Casey’s unwavering commitment to the breed.”
It’s the Angus family that drives Jentz. “The Angus business is a combination of great people and great cattle where great things can happen,” he said.
Jentz is a fourth-generation Angus breeder who was a National Junior Angus Association board member from 2004 to 2006. His daughter, Sydney, is following in his footsteps with excitement for the breed. This is her third year as an NJAA member and his younger daughter, Savannah, is not far behind.
“There are a lot of things that get me excited with possibilities for the future,” he said. Whether that’s seeing a great Angus cow, meeting a new member or seeing the future through the eyes of a junior, Jentz is looking forward to his new role.
Prior to working for the Association, Jentz was the general manager of a farm in Wisconsin and managed a multi-state sales territory for an animal health company.
Jentz will assume his new role on March 3 and will continue to work sales and serve breeders in his region through the transition. He and his wife, Kayla, and their two daughters will be relocating to St. Joseph, Missouri in the coming months. A position for a new regional manager in Jentz’s territory has been posted on Angus.org/careers.
“I am really looking forward to continuing to work with the great members of this Association in a new way,” Jentz said.
For more information about the American Angus Association, please visit angus.org.
2025 Angus Foundation Scholarship Applications Open
Youth can apply for Angus Foundation scholarships until May 1.
Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has championed the success of Angus youth by investing in their education. In the past 27 years, the Foundation has awarded more than $4.9 million in scholarships including $388,500 in 2024 alone. These scholarships help support students in their educational endeavors—whether pursuing undergraduate, graduate or trade degrees. Applications opened February 1 and are due by May 1, offering an opportunity for Angus youth to receive financial support for their education.
“Thank you to the Foundation for your unwavering commitment to supporting our aspirations and for fostering an environment that promotes growth and opportunity,” said Addison Cotton, a past Angus Foundation scholarship recipient. “Your generosity has not only given me the resources to pursue my educational goals but has also inspired me to strive for excellence in everything I do. While it may seem unconventional to aspire to be a registered nurse that raises cattle, I am excited to combine these passions into a fulfilling future where I can work hard at what I love.”
For many junior members, like Addison, the impact of the Angus Foundation extends beyond financial support; it helps to
shape young leaders in the Angus breed. Whether it is exposing youth to unique career paths or exploring new opportunities, the Foundation’s support is felt far and wide.
“Raising the Bar and LEAD have allowed me to experience agriculture in different regions and form friendships with Juniors from all over the country,” said Allison Davis, a past Angus Foundation scholarship recipient. “The Foundation scholarships are allowing me to attend an out-of-state university. I know that I would not be able to attend an out-of-state school and have the experiences I have without the support of the Foundation and its donors.”
The Angus Foundation undergraduate and graduate scholarship applications are available to National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members through their American Angus Association® login.
In addition to offering scholarship opportunities to National Junior Angus Association members, the Foundation also offers opportunities to youth from a commercial cattle operation background, through the Commercial Cattlemen’s scholarship program.
The Foundation’s Certified Angus Beef®/National Junior Angus Association and commercial cattlemen scholarships can be accessed at angus.org/foundation and submitted through email. The website also offers more information about the scholarship program.
“This scholarship program is designed to support students with a commercial cattle background in the beef industry,” said Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director. “Supporting youth in their education is an important part of the Foundation’s mission.”
Boester elaborated on the scholarship program noting, “The Angus Foundation scholarship are one of the most prominent and consistent ways our donors support Angus youth. Our scholarships pave the way for a bright future for our industry by ensuring young people can reach their full potential.”
Undergraduate and Graduate Angus Foundation Scholarships
Applicants for undergraduate and graduate scholarships must have, at one time, been a member of the NJAA and currently be an active junior, regular or life member of the American Angus Association®. The following documents are required to be considered for a 2025 undergraduate or graduate scholarship: the 2025 scholarship application; three letters of recommendation; a copy of current high school/college/university transcript; and the applicant’s Association member code.
Access to Application: AAA login (www.angusonline.org/Account/Login), “Programs” tab Submission: Through AAA login
Certified Angus Beef®/National Junior Angus Association Scholarship
Since 1990, the NJAA has teamed up with Certified Angus Beef® (CAB) to help Angus youth pursue their higher education goals. The selected applicant will receive a $1,500 scholarship. A separate application from the Angus Foundation scholarship application is required for the CAB/NJAA scholarship.
Access to Application: Download application at angus.org/foundation Submission: Email to scholarships@angus.org
Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship
The Angus Foundation will award five $1,500 scholarships to undergraduate students who use Angus genetics in a commercial cattle operation’s breeding program or whose parents use Angus genetics. Emphasis will be placed on applicants’ knowledge of the cattle industry and perspective of the Angus breed. The applicant or their parent/guardian must have transferred or been transferred an Angus registration paper in the last 36 months (on or after May 1, 2022) and must be considered commercial and not seedstock in their operation. The scholarship applies to any field of study.
Access to Application: Download application at www.angus.org/foundation/apply-for-scholarships/commercial-scholarships Submission: Email to scholarships@angus.org
Henry C. Gardiner Scholarship Award Winners Announced
Henry C. Gardiner scholarships have been awarded to elite undergraduates since 2012. This year, 28 applicants competed for six scholarships. The applicants represent diverse interests throughout animal science and industry, production agriculture and the beef industry.
The applicants are academically elite undergraduates enrolled at K-State planning to continue careers in agriculture. In addition to written applications, applicants compete in an intense, in-person interview with a panel of K-State faculty and industry leaders. Academic excellence, work ethic, community service, written and verbal communication skills and future goals are considered. Dr. Dave Nichols, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Animal Sciences and Industry, and a faculty representative on the selection committee since 2012, recently offered, “The Henry Gardiner Scholarships are the largest scholarships we give in the department. The students that have received the scholarships are the who’s-who in their collegiate endeavors and have become young industry leaders. It is a strong selection process, but the rewards are phenomenal.”
The 2025-2026 Henry C. Gardiner Scholars are Kenedy DeVoe, Justin, Texas; Elizabeth Schafer, Owaneco, Illinois; Lauren Wolter, Aviston, Illinois; Skyler Ward, New Paris, Ohio; Weston Schrader, Wells, Kansas; and Cambree Schmaltz, Bayard, Nebraska.
When asked to comment on the Henry C. Gardiner scholarship winners, Mark Gardiner said, “As agriculture is challenged to provide viable options for the next generation of decision makers, these students are embracing the challenge by taking advantage of every opportunity. Their curiosity, critical thinking, community service and extensive resumes, even before they launch their careers, is remarkable. Henry Gardiner believed in hard work. But he also believed in curiosity, lifetime learning and using those skills to improve, leaving his sphere better than he found it. The 2025-2026 Henry Gardiner scholars are examples of his perpetual pursuit for excellence.”
The Henry C. Gardiner Scholarship is made possible through the generous contributions of Gardiner customers, friends and family continuing the legacy of Henry Gardiner. To date, 60 undergraduate students have received $286,500 in scholarships.
Gardiner Angus Ranch is a family-owned ranching operation that produces registered and commercial Angus cattle. The original ranch was homesteaded near Ashland, Kansas, in 1885 by Henry Gardiner’s grandfather. Today, the ranch encompasses more than 48,000 acres. The Gardiner operation sells approximately 2,500 bulls and 2,000 registered and commercial females each year. One hundred percent of the sale offering each year is the result of artificial insemination or embryo transfer.
Gardiner Angus Ranch is a founding member of U.S. Premium Beef, the producer-owned limited liability corporation with minority ownership in National Beef, the nation’s fourth largest beef processing company. By providing access to a proven, value-added processing system through GAR delivery rights, Gardiner Angus Ranch customers have received more than $15.2 million in premiums and dividends.
The 2025-2026 Henry C. Gardiner Scholars were awarded to (left to right): Kenedy DeVoe, Justin, Texas; Elizabeth Schafer, Owaneco, Illinois; Lauren Wolter, Aviston, Illinois; Skyler Ward, New Paris, Ohio; Weston Schrader, Wells, Kansas; Cambree Schmaltz, Bayard, Nebraska.
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Show Results
2024 NAILE Super Point Roll of Victory Angus Show
Louisville, Ky. | November 18
Photos from American Angus Association
Reserve Sire of the Year (no photo)
PVF Blacklist 7077
Owned by Tim Schaeffer Show Cattle and Prairie View Farm, Gridley, Ill.
Reserve Senior Bull Calf Champion of the Year
Destinys Back in Black 320
Owned by Morgan Hutchins, Ill., and Sawyer Eastridge, Ind.
Pictured: Brian, Talon, Sienna and Lora Hutchins; and Miss American Angus Rosalind Kidwell.
2025 Cattlemen’s Congress Super Point Roll of Victory Angus Show
Oklahoma City, Okla. | January 8-11 | Judges: Abdres Foster and Scott Foster, Michigan
Photos by Next Level Images
Junior Heifer Calf Champion Division 1
SSF Proven Queen 4048
Tied for Intermediate Champion Bull of the Year W G A Maverick 12K
Owned by Holly Marsh, Ill., and Jbell Angus Genetics LLC, Mo.
Owned by Breckyn Bloomberg Power of Angus.
A reliable business partner is difficult to come by. Contact the American Angus Association® to locate Angus genetics, select marketing options tailored to your needs, and to access programs and services. Put the business breed to work for you.
Contact American Angus Association: Direct: 816-383-5100 angus@angus.org
Pictured: Jimmy Bell, Holly Marsh, and Miss American Angus Rosalind Kidwell.
2025 National Western Stock Show’s Junior Angus Show
Denver, Colo. | January 16 | Judge: Parker Henley, Okla.
Photo by Legacy Livestock Imaging
Reserve Grand Champion Bred & Owned Female PVF SFA Blackbird 3303
Owned by Ashton Dillow, Villa Ridge, Ill.
2025 National Western Stock Show’s Super Point Roll of Victory Angus Show
Denver, Colo. | January 17 | Judge: Jake Scott, Neb.
Photo by Legacy Livestock Imaging
Reserve Senior Heifer Calf Champion SCC Phyllis 3110
Owned by Ella Brooks, Prophetstown, Ill.
2025 Illinois Beef Expo Junior Show
Springfield, Ill. | Feb. 21-23 | Tyler Norvell & Brady Jensen
Photos by Cindy’s Livestock Photos
Champion Angus Steer Ring A, Reserve Champion Ring B
Shown by Connor Suits
Champion Angus Steer Ring B Shown by Braxton Williams
Reserve Champion Angus Steer Ring A Shown by Colton Kies
Champion Angus Heifer
Division 4 Champion Angus Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Breckyn Bloomberg
Reserve Champion Angus Heifer
Division 2 Champion Angus Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Macie Bartlow
Division 1 Champion Angus
Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Macie Bartlow
Division 3 Champion Angus Heifer Rings A & B
by Reese Holst
Division 1 Reserve Champion
Angus Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Addison Bartlow
Division 3 Reserve Champion
Angus Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Kaylie Shelton
Division 2 Reserve Champion
Angus Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Addison Bartlow
Division 4 Reserve Champion
Angus Heifer Rings A & B
Shown by Conley Schick
Shown
