TORRINGTON – Sam Birdsall, a Torrington High School alumnus, has been recognized as one of ten recipients of the prestigious National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Vanier Family Scholarship. 

The scholarship was presented at the 2024 American Hereford Association Annual Meeting, during the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) Scholarship Presentation and NJHA Awards Luncheon. 

At the event, Birdsall, along with other NJHA members, was honored for his exceptional achievements within the Hereford industry and the agricultural community.

Birdsall is a junior at Kansas State University (K-State), where he is studying Agricultural Economics with a concentration in finance. He plans to graduate in May 2026 and pursue a master’s degree in economics afterward.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Birdsall is actively involved in the NJHA. He has been a member for 13 years and currently serves as the Fundraising Chair for the NJHA Board of Directors. 

Birdsall is in the second year of his three-year term on the board, where he plays a key role in organizing national shows, running annual leadership conferences, and supporting the NJHA’s feedlot program. As a board member, Birdsall says he wants “to be remembered for my stand-up character.”

He also writes several articles each year for Hereford World, a publication dedicated to the NJHA.

Birdsall’s commitment to leadership roles and his dedication to the Hereford breed reflect his passion for the industry and agriculture as a whole. 

Receiving the Vanier Family Scholarship through the NJHA is a well-deserved recognition of his hard work and enthusiasm. Congratulations to Sam on this significant accomplishment.