Hereford Youth Foundation of America Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Hereford Youth Foundation of America

Spring HYFA Scholarships — overview

Each year the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) awards a variety of scholarships and honors at the Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE). These awards recognize leadership, dedication to the Hereford breed and the beef industry, academic achievement and exemplary participation in youth programs. Below is a summary of the spring scholarships, their value and the intent behind each award.

- The National Junior Merit Scholarship — $5,000
One of the JNHE’s most prestigious honors, this $5,000 scholarship promotes individual and team effort, leadership, enthusiasm and accomplishment. The recipient also receives a subsidized visit to a Hereford operation within the continental United States.

- The Bob Call Founders Scholarships — $5,000 (each)
Two $5,000 Bob Call Founders Scholarships recognize the vision of HYFA’s founding members. Named for HYFA’s first president, Bob Call, these awards are presented at the JNHE — the same event where Call chaired the host committee 26 years ago for the inaugural JNHE held in Oklahoma.

- Golden Bull Achievement Awards — $2,500 (each)
Each summer three collegiate students receive a Golden Bull Achievement Award of $2,500. This coveted honor includes both the scholarship and a bronze bull.

- The Donna Curry Memorial Scholarship — $2,500 (each)
The Donna Curry Memorial Scholarship provides three awards of $2,500 apiece. Established at the 2022 JNHE to honor Donna Curry of McAlester, Oklahoma, the endowment supports hardworking Hereford youth and preserves her legacy.

- Hereford Herdsman Scholarship — $2,500 (each)
Supported by Sullivan Supply Inc., Hereford herdsmen nationwide and HYFA, two Herdsman Scholarships of $2,500 are presented to college students who excel academically and in the showring and who demonstrate a passion for raising and showing Hereford cattle.

- Bud Snidow Award — $2,500
In memory of Bud Snidow — a former AHA employee and Hereford historian — the NHW annually presents a hand-crafted belt buckle and a $2,500 scholarship. The award honors an NJHA member who exhibits the traits Snidow valued: honesty, fairness, hard work, enthusiasm and dedication to the Hereford breed.

- John Wayne Memorial Scholarship — $2,000
The John Wayne Memorial Endowment awards $2,000 scholarships each summer to college students who have made notable contributions to agriculture and the Hereford breed, remembering John Wayne’s legacy as an actor, agriculturalist and Hereford breeder.

- NOP Founders Scholarship — $2,000
Established in 2003, the Poll-Ette (NOP) Founders Scholarship ($2,000) honors the women who founded the National Organization of Poll-ettes, which was organized in 1965.

- Mead Family Scholarship — $2,000
Following the 2020 losses of Hazel Mead (Tommy’s mother) and Valarie Mead (his wife), family and friends established the Mead Family Memorial Scholarship Endowment in 2021. The $2,000 scholarship supports Hereford junior members nationwide as they pursue higher education and their goals.

- Charles E. Boyd Sr. Memorial Scholarship — $1,500
The Charles E. Boyd, Sr. Memorial Scholarship ($1,500) commemorates the third-generation Hereford breeder from Mays Lick, Ky., who mentored youth and served as an accomplished cattle judge. The scholarship aids Hereford youth planning to attend college and pursue agricultural degrees.

- Buckeye and Bluegrass Scholarship — $1,500
Presented annually by the Kentucky and Ohio Hereford Associations in partnership with HYFA, this $1,500 scholarship recognizes an outstanding NJHA member and aims to develop strong leaders for the Hereford breed and the beef industry.

- Walter and Joe Lewis Memorial Award — $1,000
The Walter and Joe Lewis Memorial Award ($1,000) is given to the high-point senior competitor at the current JNHE, celebrating overall excellence in leadership, teamwork, skills and competition. It is presented at the conclusion of the event.

If you want this organized into a printable flyer or need eligibility/application details added for each award, tell me which scholarships you’d like included and I’ll format that next.