The Canadian Cattlemen's Young Leaders Program will narrow down its final list of participants for the 2020-21 program.
CYL'S Youth Leadership Coordinator, Jessica Giles says the program is a national youth initiative for individuals aged 18 to 35 with an interest in the beef industry.
"It pairs them with a mentor in their specific area of interest in the beef industry. In addition to
being paired with a mentor to kind of help build their career path and where they'd like to go
there's also numerous networking, travel opportunities and conferences."
Giles notes that given the COVID travel restrictions this year they are extending the 2019-20
program for another year.
Kimberley Landsdall grew up on a farm south of Chaplin, in the Hodgeville area, and is one of this year's
program participants.
She is a Vegetation Ecologist that does rare plant and weed surveys in Community Pastures.
Landsdall is paired up with Tim Wray a rancher out of Irricana, Alberta along with his extended family they run
a cow-calf, backgrounding operation where ruminant - plant - soil interactions has become a growing passion.
Wray's operation also involves tame pastures, native grass, crop residue bunches and swath grazing.
She says despite COVID it's been a great learning experience.
The CCA CYL selection committee will narrow down the 24 semi-finalists for 2020-21 to the programs' 16 finalists.
The 2020 semi-finalists in no particular order are:
- British Columbia: Kayla Shallard (Prince George), Andrea van Iterson (Westwold) and Laura
Code (Vernon)
- Alberta: Aydon Almberg (Czar), Iva Harberg (Hay Lakes), Claye Harsany (High River), Russell
Gallelli (Crossfield), Lance Schamber (Milk River), Tia Schram (Bruderheim), David Slingerland
(Coaldale), Mackenzie Argent (Cremona), Katie-Jo Stehr (Lethbridge) and Kaylee Chizawsky
(Edmonton)
- Saskatchewan: Janelle Smith (Melfort), Scott Gerbrandt (Swift Current) and Matt Hildebrandt
(Rosthern)
- Manitoba: Sarah Jensen (Arborg), Connor English (Rivers), Leah Rodvang (Brandon) and Laura
Plett (Stead)
- Ontario: Christopher Macfarlane (Keene), Charlene Yungblut (Thorold) and Grace Kuhl (Keady)
- Prince Edward Island: Greg Stavert (Freetown)
The semi-finalists will face the final round of competition during the annual CYL Selections event on Monday, August 10, 2020 which is moving to a virtual format this year due to COVID-19.
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