I am happy to announce the 2022-2023 Curren’s Cows Scholarship Recipients.
Karstin Wagner from Lakeside California, East County Grange, received the heifer scholarship.
Here is a little about Karstin:
My name is Karstin Wagner and I have being showing cattle, sheep, goats, and hogs for 13 years. This year was the first year I did not have a cow in my barn after having them for 3 years consecutively. I would be honored to raise this heifer because I have always loved having cattle from there goofy yet sweet personalities, working hair. The responsibility that comes with having a cow to the simple fact of loving a challenge. My love for cattle really stared when I was 8 and started to help the Bianchi’s show there cattle at my county fair and from there I fell in love with them. I have two goals, one long term and one short term. My short term goal is to attend every national show and win at least one before I graduate high school. My long term goal is to become a Children’s ER nurse because even though my passion is in livestock I also have a passion for helping people.
Zackary Branim-Palmer from Escondido California, Escondido FFA, received 1 of 2 Market Beef Scholarships. Here is a little about Zackary:
Why I want to raise a market steer? I honestly didn’t want to until one day in good spirits I walked into a steer meeting where my friends, I sat down and our FFA Chapter President Easton Hoofard said that I would be filling in the 1st pen left in the barn. I looked into it and talked to my agriculture teacher Mr. Reyburn. I later had a conversation with my mother and made the decision to raise a market steer. I walked into the classroom excited and walked up to my teacher and talked to him about ways to pay for the steer. He told me multiple ways and the one that stuck with me was Curren’s Cows. I read Curren’s story and felt like I could help fulfill his dream and passion of cattle. That’s why I decides to raise a market beef.
Wesley Gratzer from Julian California, Ramona FFA, Wesley received the other Market Beef Scholarships. Here is a little about Wesley:
With FFA being such a significant part of my high school career I plan to take what I learned and go to the next level. While I would like to focus on something like welding or large equipment repair when I graduate, I will always continue my love for animals. This year, I would like to continue growing as an individual and pushing myself even more. My first year, I started with one goat. Year two, I raised a pig. Last year, I decided to attend the San Diego County Fair. This year, I would like to finish up my FFA career by raising a steer. In my future, I want to continue what my mom and I have started with breeding animals for personal use and to possibly sell to exhibitors. However, right now the aspiration of my agriculture path is to fully dive into this future cattle project and other animal-related opportunities. I also plan on helping my younger brother start off in 4H so he can begin experiencing raising animals at a younger age. While was never able to take part in 4-H, I believe that to be a great place for him to begin and to see if he wants to pursue animals or anything else that they may have to offer.
As I was pushed by my mom to raise animals, I realize that I thank her for that, I came to love everything about it and now want to explore raising one more type of animal. I look forward to learning many new things and gaining the knowledge of the cattle raising process. I have watched many former students in my FFA program compete in the project and I look forward to the experience. I want to raise a steer because I know it is a lot and could lead to opportunities and knowledge that I cannot see right now. I know I have the encouragement of support of not only my new agriculture teacher, but also of my former agriculture teacher as they are both now at my high school. By pushing myself, and with it being my last year, I want to make the most of every opportunity handed to me. Raising a steer will push me to learn a different aspect of ranching and I look forward to learning about the breeding, raising, breaking, showing, and finishing of the cattle industry.
Announcing the 2019-2020 Scholarship Recipients: Jenna Schmidt of Visalia and Kylie Konyn of Escondido.
Jenna’s Application Essay:
A buckle isn’t won on show day, but the early mornings and late nights in the show barn. After three years of showing cattle this was probably the first lesson I learned. If I want to be successful I can’t just show up to a jackpot with expectations to win if I barely work with my animal. Getting up before school and staying up late to make sure my animal is washed, fed, and exercised is key to success.
Three years of showing cattle have taught me everything from hard work, to time management, and so much more. But sadly since my county fair is so late I am unable to show a market steer for my senior year because I will be off to college. After graduation, I plan on attending a four-year college and majoring in animal science. I plan on attending vet school after my graduate to become a large animal vet and primarily work with cattle and horses. My second career choice is pursuing a career in the beef industry.
I have a love and passion for the beef industry and meat science. During my freshman year I had a slight interest in showing cattle but quite honestly had absolutely no experience around cattle and had no clue what I was getting myself into. Yet, my ag teacher, thankfully, talked me into trying it for one year. I caught the showing fever and never was able to put the show stick down afterward. My first steer, I made a promise to myself to give my project a 100 % effort so I could look back from the experience and have no regrets. I believe that’s one of my better qualities, if I promise to do something, I’m gonna do it to the best of my abilities. I never do anything partly or half done because that’s just not my mindset. If I set my mind to it I’m gonna accomplish it. My first county fair I brought home my first buckle and banner. It wasn’t the fitting job and the hair products that won me Reserve Supreme Champion Market Steer that day it was the all hard work that started months before.
In conclusion, it would be such an honor to represent Curren’s Cows by showing a heifer for the foundation this year. I have only shown market steers, so showing a heifer would be an amazing experience to try something new and learn more about the production side of beef cattle.
Kylie’s Essay
Hello, my name is Kylie Konyn. I am a member of the 56 Ranchers 4-H beef project and this is my ninth year completing the beef project. I would be honored to be given the opportunity to raise and show a heifer for numerous reasons. I enjoy participating at both local and jackpot shows with quality animals. I also enjoy practicing and would like to increase both my showmanship and fitting skills. I would be honored to be given the opportunity to compete at more shows, therefore increasing my knowledge of the show and beef industry around me.
As I am currently in my junior year, I have started to visit different colleges and plan for my future. I would like to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, University of Wisconsin at Madison, or Cornell University, majoring in Ruminant Biology with a minor in Animal Genetics. I would eventually like to continue my education, earning my masters or possibly a doctorate in the field of agriculture or veterinary medicine. Throughout my remaining 4-H years and into college, I would like to participate on judging and knowledge bowl teams in addition to continuing my involvement with jackpots. I would also like to expand my business, Aspire Livestock, which aims and breeding and raising quality livestock for local 4-H members and hopefully, someday beyond my local 4-H on the competitive show circuit.
Bovine, and in particular the beef, is an intriguing industry. There is numerous different competitions you can compete in from judging, to breed, to market, and showmanship. There is a particular art to raising every animal slightly differently. Probably the most intriguing part to me is nutrition and fitting. Every animal must be properly fed to reach their end goal whether it is on a dinner plate as someone’s steak or in the pasture as a replacement heifer. When it comes to fitting, it is amazing how different techniques help to enhance an animals’ physical features and correct their imperfections.
I have been told and consider myself a very hardworking, dedicated individual. I enjoy hands on work and strongly believe in the theory of learning by doing. When unable to show superior animals through my first years in 4-H, I worked on breeding and developing a commercial herd that has since been used as recipients for my genetically superior animals. I enjoy helping younger participants, as shown by my teen leadership involvement in numerous 4-H projects. I currently have limited funds which provide me enough to either purchase a quality animal or be able to jackpot and exhibit the animal at numerous fairs, but unfortunately not both. I hope that you will please consider my application for the Curren’s cow Scholarship.
Sincerely, Kylie Konyn
Our 2018 Scholarship recipient is: Danna Staberg
Danna is a freshman at Central Valley Christian High School. In December of 2014, Danna and her family attended a Cattle show just to watch and observe, that is the point that Danna decided she wanted nothing more than to be in that ring showing cattle.
Danna has had several steer projects and has become an excellent show-person. She states “beef cattle are my passion and my life”. She would like to continue her education after high school, she would like to attend Taxes A&M, Oklahoma State or Colorado State University. She plans on furthering her education in agriculture and hopes to join the livestock judging team. She would eventually like to be a livestock judge as well as a small animal vet.
Congratulations Danna.
Each year we will select a local High School student who would like to raise a steer project but can not manage the cost themselves, we will provide them the animal, feed, and any guidance they may need. In return the proceeds from that animal goes back to the foundation and they will receive a set amount agreed upon at the beginning of the project.
The 2018 Steer Sponsorship Recipient is: Jonathan Pasch
Jonathan is a senior at Escondido High school. After high school he plans on going to Feather River College in Quincy California and majoring in Ranch and Equine Management. This will lead him to a Veterinary Technician and a Farrier.
In previous years he have raised pigs, he really loved the experience and the responsibility that it gave him. This year he wanted to try a steer because he wanted to challenge himself and he wanted to try something new. Jonathan stated “It’s a true honor to raise this steer in the honor of Curren”.
Have a great year Jonathan
Curren's Cows Foundation 