Contest divisions are as follows:
• Adult – 21 and older
• Senior – 17-21
• Intermediate – 13-16
• Junior – 12 and under

General Contest Rules and Guidelines
1. Participant ages for all contests will be based on the junior member’s age as of May 20, 2010.
2. For team competitions, mixed-age teams may be entered, but will be classified by the oldest member of the team. All teams must provide team members’ names and ages to the AIJCA registration desk by 8 a.m., on July 12. Every effort will be made by registration desk personnel to fill any incomplete teams.
3. All entries for the scrapbook, photo, poster, prepared speech and resume contests must be turned into the registration desk by 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 11. Entries in these contests will be available for pick-up by the junior member at the conclusion of the annual award’s banquet. Entries left at the banquet site will be disposed.
4. Participants in all contests must be present to participate.
5. Entries in the poster and photo contests that are deemed inappropriate by a sifting committee will be disqualified.
6. The order of presentation for all contests (individual and team) will be randomly assigned within division and will be posted at the registration desk on July 12. The order of age divisions for all contests will be the following: Senior, Intermediate, Junior.

Art Contest
• The art contest is designed to exhibit artistic talents of AIJCA members.
• Contest divisions are as follows – Senior, Intermediate and Junior.

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. Entries must promote the Charolais Breed in some way.
2. Any medium may be used: pencil, crayon, pastel, paint, fabric, metal, wood, clay, etc. It can not contain photographs.
3. Originality is key!
4. One entry per person.
5. Contestants should attach the following information to the piece of art: name, address, breeder number, and age.

Cook-off Contest
• Anyone who enjoys preparing beef recipes should enter this contest. It is also an excellent way to educate and entertain non-participants, while promoting beef.
• Each team will consist of 2 to 4 participants. Contest divisions are as follows:
• Contest divisions are as follows – Senior, Intermediate, Junior and Adult.

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. Teams must submit all names of cook-off contest participants, ages and birth dates along with 30 typed copies of the entries’ recipe to the registration desk no later than 6:00 p.m, Sunday, July 11.
2. Participants will furnish all necessary ingredients (including meat) as well as cooking tools (i.e. grill, utensils, plates, tables, etc.)
3. Participants may use any gas grill, charcoal grill, oven, toaster oven, crock pot, etc., as long as furnished by the participants—nothing will be provided for the preparation of any entry. Facility kitchen will not be made available to Cook-off Contest participants.
4. All entries must use beef as the main ingredient in the recipes. The Cook-off Contest will be judged by a panel of 2-3 judges. Teams should prepare at least 3 servings for the judges. Extra servings will be made available for tasting by spectators. (A serving of meat is 3-cooked ounces.)
5. All contest participants should follow proper food safety procedures during preparation for the dish.
6. Accessories such as place mats, napkins, flowers, etc. are allowed.
7. No alcoholic beverages may be used in the recipe, presentation, or be presented to the judges. (Exception: cooking wine - which may be used in marinating or meat preparation.)
8. Participants shall stand away from table when judges are scoring or team will be disqualified.
9. Presentation to judges shall last no longer than 8 minutes per team.
10. All entries will be evaluated on two separate and distinct categories.
     a. SHOWMANSHIP—Team members will be scored on neatness, grooming, cleanliness, manners, enthusiasm, and ability to answer
         questions about the beef product, its preparation, storage, sanitation and nutrition.
     b. RECIPE—The team’s presentation will be scored on the recipe provided, appropriate number of meat servings in dishes, economical         factors, appearance of dish, taste, appeal to persons in various age groups, and health conscious preparation.

Prepared Speaking Contest
• Contestants will present a speech on a subject pertaining to the livestock industry.
• Contest divisions are as follows:
   Senior Division - 17 years of age and older – 6 to 8 minute speech.
   Intermediate Division - 13-16 years of age – 4 to 6 minute speech.
   Junior Division - 12 years of age and younger – 2 to 4 minute speech.

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. Contestant may choose any subject pertaining to the livestock industry. The speech is to be of original content and is to be composed solely by the junior speaker. Contestant is encouraged to have speech memorized, but will be permitted to use notes.
2. Contestant will be asked to answer questions relating to his or her speech following their presentation. The question and answer session shall be a maximum of 3 minutes, with 1 question to be asked per judge. Deductions of 20 points per minute will be taken from the score of each judge for any speech under the minimum or over the maximum time restriction.
3. Contestant must bring to the Junior National, 3 typewritten, double-spaced copies of speech on 8-1/2”x11” white bond paper and deliver to the registration desk no later than 6 p.m., on Sunday, July 11.
4. Contestants are required to include a cover sheet to their speech that lists the following information: name, address, breeder number, and age.
5. Visual aids may be used.
6. Contestants will be judged on personal appearance.

Impromptu Public Speaking Contest
• Contestants will present a speech on a subject pertaining to the livestock industry as randomly selected after the contest begins.
• Contest divisions are as follows – Senior, Intermediate and Junior.
(Junior division participants may have assistance from an AIJCA Board of Director – assistance from anyone else will disqualify the participant.)

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. The selection of topics shall be held 15 minutes (depending on order drawn) before the presentation. The participant will draw two specific topics, selected at random, relating to the industry of agriculture and/or the Charolais breed of cattle. After selecting the topic the participant desires to speak on, both topics will be returned to the pool for the next drawing.
2. The topics will be prepared by the AIJCA Board.
3. Contestant will be given approximately 15 minutes to prepare their presentation.
4. Contestant will be asked to answer questions relating to their speech following their presentation. The question and answer session shall be a maximum of 3 minutes. Deductions of 20 points per minute will be taken from the score of each judge for any speech under the minimum or over the maximum time restriction.
5. Contestant will be judged on personal appearance.

Interview and Resumé Contest
• This contest is designed to assist with career development of AIJCA members. Participants will be evaluated by 2-3 judges.
• Contest divisions are as follows:
High School Division (Members are eligible to compete in high school division through the summer following high school graduation.)
College Division

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. Contestants must be a member of AIJCA and must be in attendance at Junior National. Contest is only open to members 15 years of age and older, as of May 20, 2010.
2. Contestant will be scored separately on each of the following: cover letter, resumé and personal interview. A combined score from these three areas will determine the contestant’s overall score.
3. Contestant must bring to the Junior National, 3 copies of cover letter and resumé, contained in one envelope and deliver to the registration desk no later than 6 p.m., on Sunday, July 11.
4. Develop your own agriculture job and create a 150-200 word job description.
5. Contestants will be judged on personal appearance.

Resumés and cover letters will be evaluated on content, grammar, design and overall appeal.
Each individual will be evaluated on the following in the interview portion of this contest:
• Education - Does applicant have the educational background needed for a position with the organization?
• Leadership Potential - Does applicant appear to have the ability and motivation to advance in the organization?
• Extracurricular Activities - Does the potential interviewer have sufficient experience in outside activities?
• Work Experience - Does the applicant have sufficient job accomplishments, skills and experiences to relate to the position.
• Communication Skills - How well was the candidate able to express his/her thoughts? Consider factors such as vocabulary, grammar, style of delivery, etc.
• Career Planning - Did the candidate show evidence of career planning? (Example: setting goals for the future, alternative career paths, long-range plans for future self-development)
• Motivation/Initiative - To what extent does the applicant show enthusiasm for the position being interviewed for?
• Appearance/Personality - What kind of general impression does the applicant make? Consider dress, grooming, posture and presence.

Photo Contest
• The AIJCA Photo Contest is designed to provide juniors the opportunity to learn photographic skills and compete with other Charolais junior members.
• Contest divisions are as follows – Senior, Intermediate and Junior.

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. There will be 2 categories:
• Highlighting Charolais cattle in a colored photograph
• Highlighting Charolais cattle in a black and white photograph.
2. Judges will rank the top 5 photos in each category in each age division. From this ranking, awards will be given to the first and second place overall for each age division.
3. Contest is limited to 4 entries per person, but no more than 2 per category.
4. Photos must highlight Charolais cattle on the farm, or ranch, or at an event. The cattle should be the dominant focus of the photo.
5. Entries must be 5x7 or 8x10 in size, 8x10 is recommended. Photos must be mounted on a heavy weight cardboard stock with a thickness of 1/8” or greater, without glass frames. Entries presented with glass frames around photographs will be disqualified.
6. All entries must be original, untouched photos taken by the AIJCA member who enters the photo. Photos must be the contestant’s current year’s work and cannot have been presented for competition at a previous AIJCA Junior National.
7. Contestants should write the following information in the upper left-hand corner on the back of the cardboard: category of photo, title of photo, name, address, breeder number, and age.
8. The Charolais Journal staff reserves the right to collect any photos in the contest to utilize at the staff’s discretion. If requested, photos will be returned to participant after use by the Journal.

Poster Contest
• The AIJCA Poster Contest is designed to provide another fun, educational, and competitive activity for interested individuals.
• Contest divisions are as follows – Senior, Intermediate and Junior.

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
1. There will be 2 categories:
• Breed/Association Promotion: Highlight the value of Charolais in a successful cattle enterprise or the benefits of active membership in the Charolais Association.
• Herd Advertisement: Create poster suitable for promotion of your own herd or a fictitious (but realistic) situation.
2. Judges will rank the top 5 posters in each category in each age division. From this ranking, awards will be given to the first and second place overall for each age division.
3. Contest is limited to 2 entries per person.
4. Entries must utilize regular-size poster board (22" x 28") and be suitable to hang.
5. There is no limit to the use or style of drawings or lettering, provided they are the design and handiwork of the entrant. Posters should not be made using computer-generated graphics or designs. Photographs, magazine clippings, stencils and adhesive letters may be used. If the judges question as to whether the work is computer generated, they may disqualify an entry.
6. Three-dimensional posters are allowed, however, 3-dimensional objects may not exceed 1/2”. If any objects exceed 1/2” or extend beyond the boundaries of the poster, entry will be disqualified.
7. Any poster that is not suitable to hang will be disqualified.
8. It is suggested that posters be laminated or covered with clear contact paper.
9. Posters must be the contestant’s current year’s work and cannot have been presented for competition at a previous AIJCA Junior National.
10. Contestants should write the following information in the upper left-hand corner on the back of the poster: category of poster, title of poster, name, address, breeder number, and age.

Quiz Bowl Contest
• Contest is designed to test team members’ knowledge of the beef industry and its numerous components.
1. Each team will consist of 5 AIJCA members, and there must be at least one which is a member 15 years or younger. There will be four members participating, with one alternate. There must be a member 15 years or younger participating at all times.
2. Brackets and team match-ups will be designated at random.
3. Scoring: The contest will be a single elimination competition. All rounds will be worth 10 points for correct answers. No points will be taken away for incorrect answers.
4. There may be discussion among team members, only for rebound questions.
5. A match shall consist of a predetermined set of questions depending on the number of teams. The first set of questions will be individual toss-up questions (I.E. contestant 1, team A vs. contestant 1, team B). The remaining questions will also be toss-up questions. If a tie exists after the last question, three team toss-up questions will be utilized in a tiebreaker.
6. Each individual/team will have 10 seconds to buzz in. Once a contestant has buzzed in, he/she will have 10 seconds to begin answering the question. Rebound questions will be handled in the same way.
7. There will be judges and time keepers appointed by the AIJCA Board of Directors.
8. Note taking and/or tape recorders shall be prohibited by anyone at the contest site. Any individual not conforming to this rule will be removed from the contest room.

Scrapbook Contest
• The AIJCA Scrapbook Contest encourages junior associations to keep a record of their achievements and highlights. The contest also provides a means for junior associations to show others what they have accomplished. Scrapbooks will be judged on content and appearance alone.
1. Scrapbooks must be completely created by current members of the state junior association.
2. The cover should incorporate the association name and should be creative—not costly.
3. The following categories should be covered:
    a. Junior officers, representatives, members, and advisors
    b. Meetings and activities
    c. Shows, displays, games, social activities, and work sessions
    d. Communications (newsletters, notices)
    e. Honors won by members (Bronze, Silver, and Gold Merit Awards, Scholarships, etc.)
4. Each category should be arranged in calendar sequence (oldest to most recent). Scrapbooks should cover the most recent year’s activities.
5. Include photographs, (posed and candid), newspaper and magazine clippings, programs from special junior events, and minutes of meetings.
6. Be neat and organized. Have no loose pieces, caption all photos, and type or write neatly.

Showmanship
• All exhibitors who exhibit cattle in Sioux Falls have the opportunity to participate in the jackpot showmanship contest by registering on the Junior National registration form. There will be a nonrefundable $10 entry fee ($20 late fee) for each showmanship contest participant. No entries accepted after May 20 and no exhibitor substitution.
• Contest divisions and show order are as follows – Senior, Intermediate and Junior.

General contest rules pertaining to all age divisions are as follows:
This contest is a non-fit competition. The steer or heifer exhibited in the showmanship contest must be registered in that participant’s name and the entry number of that steer or heifer must be worn by the participant in the showmanship contest. No bulls are allowed to be shown in this contest. Junior National t-shirt not required to be worn.

Talent Contest
• A competition that offers participants the opportunity to showcase their creative or artistic aptitude through a variety of performances.

Skit Contest
• A comic sketch or humorous story performed for the audience’s enjoyment. Skits viewed as containing inappropriate material will be disqualified by the judges. Awards are given for Best Dressed Costumes, Best Comedy Skit, and Most Creative Skit.

Team Fitting Contest
• Each team will consist of 3 or 4 members with a time limit of 20 minutes. Contest divisions are as follows:
Senior Division - 17 years of age and older
1. Senior team entries will be responsible for washing out and blowing heifers dry. Contest judges will review heifers and can adjust scores if not properly completed.
2. No more than two individuals competing on a winning senior team may participate on the same team the following year.

Intermediate Division - 13-16 years of age
1. No sheephead clippers will be allowed.
2. An AIJCA Board designated adult advisor or AIJCA Board member will be stationed with each intermediate team to offer safety advice.

Junior Division - 12 years of age and younger
1. No clippers of any kind will be allowed.
2. An AIJCA Board designated adult advisor or AIJCA Board member will be stationed with each junior team to offer safety advice.

For all three divisions, the use of any coloring agent, flock and powder is prohibited. Each team is responsible for providing their own heifer for the contest (no steers or bulls). Junior and intermediate teams may utilize a senior team’s heifer. Heifers must be pre-clipped (head, tail, etc.) for the junior and intermediate contests. Heifers may be pre-clipped for the senior contest. Heifers will be evaluated by the judge(s) prior to the start of each contest. All audience members must stay out of the area designated as contest space by the AIJCA Board during the contest.

Scoring will be based on: 1) Evaluation of heifer and team questions prior to start; 2) Use of equipment, skill level and general knowledge of team members in fitting of heifer; 3) Completion and final appearance of heifer; 4) Judge’s question(s) for team members including one public question; and 5) Presentation of heifer by team. Final questions will be asked while the heifer is being presented. The team member presenting the heifer may not help in answering the final question.

Intermediate and Junior contest may be conducted at the same time if space allows.

Herdsmanship Contest
• Following are the state/affiliate herdsmanship judging guidelines:
1. Neatness and cleanliness of exhibit area
2. Availability of juniors to answer questions
3. Participation and involvement in grooming by junior members
4. Exhibition and promotion of entries
5. Cattle must be in stalls from tie-outs by designated time and shall not return to tie-outs until designated time.