Developing leaders through friendship, networking, and communication skills!
by Aribella Beins
Spring into New Beginnings
Leo Tolstoy once said, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” At the time you’re reading this, spring has sprung and has given life to all around us. As I look into my mother’s flower gardens or out into the fields of cows and calves, there are signs of God’s glory surrounding us. Although I must give credit to our maker, much of the excitement seen is the result of careful and meticulous planning.
One of my favorite things is to walk through our new calf crop to determine whether the planned matings we had made the year prior resulted in the type and kind of calves we were hoping for. To be honest, not every mating, despite good intentions, yields the results so highly anticipated. Some turn out far better than we expect, and that is the beauty within the cattle industry. Whether your goal is to create elite show cattle or scalecrushing performance stock, it all takes planning and careful forethought.
The American Simmental Association has worked hard for many years to develop a full toolbox of necessary tools to build the next generation of SimGenetics sought after within the cattle industry. I invite all of you AJSA members to spend time in Herdbook to learn all of the available options, such as planned matings or other tools to assist you with your next breeding project.
We’re sitting at a point in time where the Simmental breed is accepted within the industry from commercial cow-calf operations, to feeders, to the packers. Take the time to capture these opportunities for success to plan for the future. It’s great to be on team Simmental! In closing, many of you have your projects for this upcoming summer show season. Be proud of the work you have put into these projects. Your success isn’t measured by one decision, but by the lessons you’ve learned, the friendships you’ve made, and the bond created with your four-legged friend. I look forward to seeing you all this summer. .
2024–2025 American Junior Simmental Association Board of Trustees
Eastern Region
Carter Hall Ripley, WV 304-373-8427
Walker Housley Dayton, TN 423-599-8346
North Central Region
Noah Goss Kanopolis, KS 785-810-8636
Emerson Tarr LeRoy, IL 309-205-0860
South Central Region
Hallie Hackett Texarkana, TX 903-556-6758
Anna Sweat McCaskill, AR 870-200-7600
Western Region
Aribella Beins Deweyville, UT 435-452-2391
At-Large
Ella Fischer St. Joseph, MO 816-261-5991
Chase Harker Hope, IN 812-603-5371
Cecillia Newby Oswego, KS 620-717-8018
Anna Webel Farmington, IL 309-351-9223
