For Release: Immediate
Contact: Matt Brockman or Shanna Weaver
Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show
817-877-2400
matt@fwssr.com shanna@fwssr.com

Beef Challenge Winners Earn Scholarship Dollars

Fort Worth, Texas – Six scholarships were recently earned by deserving Texas students as the result of an exciting new contest launched by the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show. Known as the Heifer Superintendent’s Beef Challenge the contest tested the youth’s knowledge on beef cattle production.

“We are excited about the success of this new scholarship contest,” said Bradford S. Barnes, Stock Show executive vice president and general manager. “Devon Energy’s commitment as the founding sponsor allows us to continue and enhance this exciting program in the future.”

The contest was open to exhibitors in the junior heifer show who were high school seniors and who had exhibited heifers at Fort Worth a minimum of two years, including the 2008 Show. Participants took an exam and the ten highest scores gave a two-minute presentation on why ranchers should utilize the breed of heifer shown by the exhibitor. Of those ten students, six earned scholarships including Lindsay Garrett of Canton, Rachel Ann Glascock of Pilot Point, Lauren Payne of Glen Rose, Alyssa Smith of Zephyr, Cloe Rae Byers of Carbon and Jenna Day of Howe for a combined total of $21,000.

Initiated by the superintendents of the Stock Show’s junior heifer show, the new scholarship program allows junior exhibitors to use the knowledge they gain in the classroom and the project barn to help pay for a college education. “These kids will someday supply beef to the world and we’re excited to provide a program that will help prepare them for the challenge,” said Tom Woodward, a superintendent for the Junior Heifer Show. “With the support of Devon Energy, we have launched a terrific scholarship program.”

Devon Energy is the largest natural gas producer in the Barnett Shale and accounts for more than a third of the field’s overall production. In conjunction with its production activities in the Barnett Shale, Devon continues to seek meaningful opportunities to contribute in communities that surround its operations.

Make plans to attend the legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo – now through February 3. Information can be found at www.fwssr.com. Tickets to the PRCA Rodeo are on sale by contacting the Stock Show Ticket Office at (817) 877-2420 or Ticketmaster at metro (972) 647-5700. Convenience charges are added at Ticketmaster locations and are nonrefundable.