This year’s Dick O’Brien Memorial Junior Herdsman Award recipient was Shane Kendall from North Carolina. He has raised and shown several cattle breeds over the years, but Limousin has always been his favorite. A big factor is his mentor, Nick Edwards, whom he bought his first heifer from. Shane has continued to use his support and guidance to learn from the best and improve his own herd and showmanship.
He attributes his introduction to the NALJA board to Kayleesue Laber, who encouraged him to run in 2023. This was not something that was planned, but there was a position needing to be filled, and he has not looked back since joining the board. Shane served as treasurer in 2025 and as Vice President in 2026, known for not always following the crowd, but speaking up when something needs improvement.
Shane has come a long way from his first National Limousin show in Kentucky ten years ago. His two favorite Limousin moments were having Supreme Heifer at both the Limousin Eastern Regionals and the NC State fair in 2023. Shane has grown from a child who received a bottle calf as a boy, to one who now is a mentor to other youth across the country. In the barn, he is known by many youth and families as someone with a big sense of humor and always willing to help others. He enjoys interacting with younger juniors, and his competitive side comes out during fierce games of dodgeball or kickball!
This spring he graduated from NEO A&M, where he was a member of the livestock judging team and served as an Ag Ambassador. When he was not working cattle shows this summer or helping juniors with their projects, he worked for a cattle farmer in western Oklahoma. He enjoys evaluating livestock and looks forward to having opportunities to judge shows in the future.
It was exciting to see him lead a rare NC show team at Junior Nationals the last two years. He has taken every chance that the Limousin cattle business has given him, and he is looking forward to continuing his education at Kansas State this fall, studying Animal Science and Agricultural Business.