■ History of JBBA

The Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA), whose parent group is the Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU), is one of the fastest- growing junior beef breed associations in the country, and for some good reasons! You'll find a complete and well-rounded slate of programs available to you as a JBBA member. All aspects of the beef cattle industry are included so JBBA members can gain valuable knowledge about every phase of the business and become better prepared to contribute to the beef cattle industry and agribusiness as adults. And in addition to all that, it's fun!

Beefmasters were developed in the brush country of South Texas in the 1930's from a systematic crossing of Brahman, Hereford and Shorthorn cattle. The modern Beefmaster has a genetic base of about 50 percent Brahman blood and 25 percent each of Hereford and Shorthorn. It was recognized as a pure breed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1954. The breed was founded on what has become known as "The Six Essentials," which are Fertility, Milking Ability, Growth, Conformation, Hardiness and Disposition. The Beefmaster is the only beef breed developed to excel in these critically important economic areas.

Beefmaster Breeders United, the original, largest and most progressive breed registry for Beefmaster cattle, was founded in 1961. Through the combination of excellent performance by the cattle and visionary leadership by BBU and individual breeders, Beefmasters have become a major beef breed and are currently being produced throughout the U.S. and in many other countries. JBBA was founded in 1984, as more and more young cattlemen became involved in the Beefmaster breed. Its membership has increased steadily, and the number of programs JBBA offers to its members has grown dramatically. Clearly, JBBA is moving with the Beefmaster breed to the forefront of the beef cattle industry.

■ Officers & Directors

■ Rules

■ Join JBBA

Please download and print the Application for Membership . Fill out the membership form completely, and then mail it to BBU, with the appropriate fees, for approval. Your application may be sponsored by an active BBU member or by your FFA teacher or 4-H leader. For more information about JBBA, any of its programs or upcoming events, contact the BBU Office at 210-732-3132.

■ Scholarship Applications

Many JBBA members want to continue their educations at the college level. And thanks to the JBBA Scholarship Program, some of them are able to receive financial help toward college tuition. The JBBA Scholarships are awarded annually on the basis of involvement in JBBA, FFA and/or 4-H leaders, or other adults who are familiar with the member's work.

A panel of people involved in the cattle business and youth work evaluate the applications, and the winners are announced each year at the JBBA Annual Convention. Thanks to BBU members who support the JBBA Scholarship Program, deserving young cattlemen get an extra boost toward their college degrees.

In addition, JBBA members are eligible for the Brian L. Murphy Memorial Scholarship. Brian Murphy was BBU Director of Youth Activities when he passed away June 23, 1989. A fund was established in his memory to provide a four-year financial aid package for recipients to attend the college of their choice. Contact the BBU Director of Youth Activities for more information on these scholarships.

■ activities

The activities and programs in JBBA all have something in common: While designed to help you learn about Beefmasters and the cattle industry, they're also a lot of fun! Here are just a few of the activities you can expect to be involved in as a member of JBBA.

• JBBA A.I. Program

A major goal of all JBBA programs is to help young cattlemen become better breeders, managers and marketers of purebred Beefmaster cattle. One of the first steps in this process is the establishment of a breeding program that will produce top-quality cattle.

The JBBA A.I. Program is designed to allow JBBA members to improve the quality of their cow herds through an inexpensive and progressive program of artificial insemination. It gives them the opportunity to breed their cows to some of the top bulls in the Beefmaster breed-bulls that otherwise might not be available or affordable to junior members.

BBU members donate semen to the JBBA A.I. Program annually, and each year, the list of bulls reads like "Who's Who in the Beefmaster Breed!" Interested JBBA members request semen on the bull of their choice, then semen is assigned to the members according to its availability. The JBBA member pays a price per unit for the semen that is well below market.

Since its beginning in 1984, the A.I. Program has distributed thousands of units of semen to JBBA members, and calves produced through the program are already making their marks in the herds of junior Beefmaster breeders. Best of all, since the semen is donated, all the money raised through the A.I. Program helps fund the JBBA Scholarship Program!

• JBBA - BBU Programs

In addition to the programs already outlined, every program that BBU offers to its adult member is available to JBBA members. Contact the BBU office for complete details on these programs.