The Wyoming Cattle Women announced the selection of the 2014 Wyoming Beef Ambassador Team. Rachel Purdy, Ty Shockley and Garrett Irene were chosen during the contest held at Casper College on April 5.

Purdy was the overall winner and will represent Wyoming at the National Beef Ambassador Competition in Denver, Colo., Sept. 26 - 27, where she will compete for one of five spots on the National Beef Ambassador Team. From Pine Bluffs, Wyo., she is a sophomore attending the University of Wyoming studying to be a lawyer specializing in Agriculture.

 Ty Shockley, a Wheatland, Wyo. native and a sophomore at the University of Wyoming, is studying to be an Agricultural Business Consultant. Garrett Irene is a senior at Rock RiverHigh School where he has a passion for welding technology.

Leslie Hendry, co-chairman of the Wyoming CattleWomen Beef Ambassador Program, said,

 “The CattleWomen are excited that these young folks will help represent our Wyoming beef industry during the next year,”

 The Beef Ambassador Program is a national youth advocate program that teaches leadership skills and promotes the beef industry. The national and state programs strive to provide an opportunity for youth to educate consumers and students about beef nutrition, food safety and stewardship practices of the beef community. During the Wyoming contest participants prepared a written response on the subject of "the Environmental Community”, took a quiz on beef industry facts and participated in a 10-minute mock interview.

The Wyoming Beef Ambassadors will be visible at various events including their County Fairs, Wyoming State Fair, Wyoming Stock Growers Association Cattle Industry Convention, local ag expos, Wyoming Ag In the Classroom Summer Institute and more. They will also conduct classroom education. 

Contest judges were Natrona County Commissioner Forest Chadwick, Susan Balfour, the 2013 Wyoming Beef Ambassador Sierra Crisp, Natrona County Commissioner and Rancher Robert Hendry, Ryan McConnaughey, field representative for Rep. Cynthia Lummis and Wyoming CattleWomen Beef-it-News editor Marcia Campbell. Wyoming CattleWomen President Gwen Geis moderated the mock interview.

The Wyoming Beef Ambassador Team is available for speaking engagements. To arrange for a team member to attend a meeting or event, contact Hendry at 307-876-2778 or Owens at 307-437-6863.

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