Local youth earns junior simmental scholarship

Leslie Mason of Pattonsburg received the American Junior Simmental Association (AJSA) Silver Merit Award at the 2002 National Junior Simmental Classic in Bowling Green, Ken., on July 26.

The Silver Merit Award is the second highest scholarship presented to the juniors by the American Simmental Association Foundation and must be used for post-secondary school education. A strict criteria must be met that recognizes the members’ scholarship, leadership, and beef industry involvement.

Leslie will be a junior at Iowa State University where she is an animal science major. She owns 13 head of registered Simmentals and she assists with management of the family’s herd.

Headquartered in Bozeman, Mont., the America Simmental Association maintains the breed registries for the Simmental and Simbrah breeds of cattle. The organization has a membership of nearly 10,000, including over 4,500 juniors.