2021 CYL Semi-Finalists Announced

Jun 24, 2021

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association Young Leaders Mentorship Program has announced its 24 semi-finalists for 2021.

Jessica Giles, the CCA's Youth Leadership Coordinator, says the program is a great opportunity for young people ages 18 to 35.

"It takes 16 participants each year, and it matches them with the mentor for a nine-month mentorship opportunity in their specific area of interest in the beef industry. Whether that's sustainable grazing practices, industry advocacy or policy, serving on industry boards, and so much more. And in addition to being matched with the industry mentor, they're also granted a $2,000 budget and this on various learning opportunities and their participation in industry events of their choosing."

Giles says narrowing this year's field of candidates down was a tough job for the judges.

"We saw another strong turnout this year and the calibre of these applications was just tremendous as usual. I mean, it just paints such an optimistic and bright future for the Canadian beef industry when you see these outstanding young people that are so passionate about the success of the industry and really want to a career and a future in it."

The 2021 semi-finalists, in no particular order, are:

British Columbia: Julia Flinton (Williams Lake), Amanda Miller (Lumby), Janine Rubin (Rose Prairie), Lace Cole (McBride), Raelynn Blumhagen (Jaffray)

Alberta: Diane Van Essen (Picture Butte), Amanda Matthews (Bragg Creek), Nikki Olson (Red Deer County), Rheanne Ritchie (Didsbury), Max Kaumeyer (Okotoks), Louis Kaumeyer (Okotoks), Kyle Paulgaard (Hayter), Laura Macrae (Westlock), Tia Schram (Bruderheim), Melissa Gablehaus (Rochester), Amber Shuttleworth (Airdrie)

Saskatchewan: Brock Larson (Simmie), Holly Sparrow (Vanscoy), Logan Houff (Eston)

Ontario: Emily Potter (Earlton), Nicole Nunn (Lucknow), Laura Scott (Oxford Mills)

Québec: Victor Drury (La Pêche)

Newfoundland and Labrador: Darren Dinsmore (Goose Bay)

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.