CALF News Aug./Sept 2018

49 CALF News • August | September 2018 • www.calfnews.net CALF’s Featured Lady By Patti Wilson Contributing Editor  CALF CAMEO Calendar Mason Blinson is on a mission, heading confidently down a career path that may someday take her to a university near you. She’s a native of Buies Creek, N.C., and a recently retired member of the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Board of Directors. She explains in no uncertain terms the positive impact that her “Hereford family” and their extensive junior program have had on her life. Being a three-year NJHA Board member, she was instru- mental in organizing and running the 2018 Junior National Hereford Expo ( JNHE) in Grand Island, Neb., in July. She said the cattle show – the largest of its kind in the United States – is not only a show but focuses on establishing a lifelong network of friends and acquaintances – the Hereford family. Programs Blinson has been responsible for include the national quiz bowl and “Pen to Pen,” a mentoring program pairing older exhibitors with young upstarts. Blinson started showing sheep at age 3, moving up to cattle two years later. Gifted with a beautiful voice, she’s sung the National Anthem on several Hereford occasions, including the opening of this year’s JNHE. Blinson says that her grandfather, Daddy Keith, saved money from his National Guard Duty to purchase their family’s first Hereford heifer. A junior at Oklahoma State University, she is double majoring in plant and soil science and animal science. Then, on to completion of a doc- torate degree with plans on becoming a university professor. Blinson says that the Hereford Association and showing livestock has defined her future. She’s known what she wanted since the age of 10 and remains focused and decisive, a sure recipe for success.  Ad Index Agri Affiliates................... 39 American Akaushi Association................... 51 Brute Cattle Equipment... 29 Capitol Land & Livestock...................... 29 Central States Testing..... 35 Diamond Nutrition............. 9 FCS Manufacturing, Inc... 43 Flint Hills Classic............... 2 K-Coe Isom..................... 31 Kemin......................... 16-17 Lallemand. ................ 19, 27 Micronutrients. ................ 13 The face of the cattle industry www.calfnews.net Midcontinent Livestock Supplements................ 43 MS Biotec........................ 11 Multimin............................. 7 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.......... 52 Phibro.............................. 21 Reproscan....................... 39 Roto-mix............................ 3 Servitech......................... 45 Texas Feed Fat................ 31 The Concrete Works....... 37 Turnkey. .......................... 23 National Account Manager Jessica Ebert | (785) 477-1941 For information on advertising in CALF News Magazine, contact: Aug. 24-25 NCBA Regional Stockmanship & Stewardship Event Clemson, S.C. • www.beefusa.org Sept. 21-25 NCBA Regional Stockmanship & Stewardship Event Montrose, Colo. • www.beefusa.org Sept. 29 Flint Hills Classic Production Sale Paxico, Kan. • www.flinthillsclassic.com Oct. 5-6 NCBA Regional Stockmanship & Stewardship Event Stephenville, Texas • www.beefusa.org Oct. 12-13 NCBA Regional Stockmanship & Stewardship Event Pasco, Wash. • www.beefusa.org Oct. 18-19 North American Meat Institute Animal Care & Handling Conference Kansas City, Mo. • www.meatinstitute.org Oct. 26-28 7 th Annual American Akaushi Association Convention, San Marcos, Texas • www.akaushi.com Nov. 11-13 Texas Cattle Feeders Association Convention San Antonio, Texas • www.tcfa.org Nov. 28-30 Kansas Livestock Association Convention Wichita, Kan. • www.kla.org