On February 8th, 14 high school seniors each received a $1,000 Certified Texas Bred Registry “Scholars of Honor” scholarship at the Gilts of Distinction sale in Kerrville. The program’s inaugural year was 2025.
The “Scholars of Honor” program was established in 2024 to recognize exhibitors who participated in the Certified Texas Bred program and have had success with their Texas-bred barrels and gilts at Texas major shows. Recipients are selected based on the number of Premier Exhibitor points they have earned during their high school show careers. Riley Reep, director of youth and communications for TPPA, said the association is dedicated to finding new ways to support Texas youth.
“The ‘Scholars of Honor’ program is off to an incredible start,” Reep said. “TPPA is committed to supporting the youth of Texas who take part in the pork industry. We look forward to continuing to assist and encourage youth swine exhibitors and producers for years to come.”
The 2025 Certified Texas Bred Registry “Scholars of Honor” recipients are:
- Chelby Brown – Lubbock
- Tynslee Horton – Borden County
- Reese Sagebiel – Fredericksburg
- Hannah Garica – Plainview
- Bliss Bessire – Wolfforth
- Sydney Miller – Abernathy
- Addison Shook – Seminole
- Taylor Reed – Sweetwater
- Tynlea Wilson – Early
- Huston Hesseltine – Sinton
- Katelyn Bednarz – Lubbock
- Emma Perez – Sinton
- Lynley Albert – Stratford
- Maddox Tedford – Weatherford
In addition, the Certified Texas Bred Registry Foundation Female, donated by Cory and Lacey Rains of Rains Livestock in Fredericksburg, was sold at the Gilts of Distinction sale for $5,500 to Logan Parker of Parker Farms in Hale Center. For more than a decade, the Certified Texas Bred Registry has given back over $145,000 to youth through the CTBR Foundation Female Scholarship and Grant. The scholarship is funded from the Foundation Female, which is donated from a CTBR breeder and sold as Lot 3 in the Gilts of Distinction sale during the Texas Elite Showcase. The Foundation Female scholarship recipients will be selected in April.
The Texas Pork Producers Association takes pride in awarding Texas show pig exhibitors scholarships through the Certified Texas Bred Registry program. For more information about these scholarships, click here.
The Texas Pork Producers Association’s Certified Texas Bred Registry Title Sponsor is Showpig.com. TPPA is grateful for their support of the youth and breeders of Texas.