5 min read

Creating Connections | January 2025

By Cheryl Kepes

Photos courtesy NCC-The Classic

NCC-The Classic gives cattle producers of all ages opportunities to build relationships that will help them grow and improve their operations.

The foundation of NCC-The Classic resides firmly in the philosophy of nurturing and honoring relationships within the cattle industry. What started in 1992 as a show and sale designed to shine a positive light on the beef industry in Nebraska, has grown into three annual events benefiting cattle producers across the country.

NCC-The Classic Manager, Ronette K. Bush-Heinrich, has been an integral part of the event since its inception more than 30 years ago. During that time, she’s worked closely with staff and the board of directors to expand the original event and to provide new opportunities for youth and seasoned cattle producers alike.

“One thing we take a lot of pride in is continually trying to strive to adapt to this rapidly changing industry and come up with marketing opportunities that meet cattlemen’s needs today,” NCC-The Classic Manager, Ronette K. Bush-Heinrich, explained.

The Classic History

In the beginning, the event was called the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic. “The original classic was basically cattle shows and sales and was one event held in February for cattlemen to have a place to sell their bulls and heifers,” Ronette said. The original event quickly flourished prompting the creation of additional opportunities for cattle producers.

As the event evolved, organizers gave it a new name. It’s now known as NCC-The Classic and it consists of three events: Winter Edition, Pop Up Edition, and Fall Edition. The three events are uniquely designed to bring cattle producers together to display and sell their genetics, network, and learn more about the beef industry. From the beginning, each event has been held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds located in Kearney, Nebraska.

No matter which event producers attend they are sure to cultivate connections and better their businesses. “It comes back to the statement of building relationships; of being able to build relationships with new buyers, building relationships with fellow breeders who are there showcasing their genetics, or building the relationships with the businesses that are there,” Ronette shared. “Whether it be feed companies or technology companies, it comes back to that aspect of building that relationship that can help your operation or your business.”

The Original

The Winter Edition of NCC-The Classic holds fast to the traditions of the original event. The Winter Edition, held in February of each year, celebrates its 34th year in 2025. During the Winter Edition, more than a thousand head of cattle will be at the fairgrounds for shows, sales, judging competitions, and breeder program displays.

Animals from eleven breeds participate in junior shows as well as open shows and sales. The Winter Edition also offers a pen bull sale, commercial heifer pen sale, educational meetings, social events, and a commercial trade show.

The Winter Edition kicks off with a livestock judging contest open to 4-H, FFA, and collegiate competitors. The NCC-The Classic team makes it a priority to provide high-quality animals for the competitors to evaluate. Ronette says the breeders who provide heifers or bulls for the livestock judging competition take great pride in their genetics being a part of the contest.

In recent years, the NCC-The Classic organizers focused on improving the awards banquet for participants in the judging contest. The competitors receive a steak dinner and awards during the banquet at the conclusion of the judging competition.

A longstanding highlight of the Winter Edition is the commercial heifer pen sale. It’s been a staple of the Classic for 30 years. “It is an excellent venue for a cattleman if he has a set of bred heifers he is wanting to sell, and they are a commercial, crossbred set of heifers. It is a great way that he can be involved in showcasing his operation,” Ronette added.

Pop Up Event

During COVID when county fairs were cancelling their shows and sales, the NCC-The Classic team felt compelled to provide juniors with an avenue to showcase their livestock. Thus, the organization created an event now held each August called the Pop Up Event.

“The Pop Up is held in our outdoor horse arena under a big circus tent. We have held it for four years now and it is an event that is here to stay. It is fun! It’s held annually the weekend before our state fair, and it is a great family event,” Ronette said.

The Pop Up Event features a junior show, open jackpot feeder calf show, trade show, and display areas for breeders to promote their operations and sales.

Fall Edition

The event that rounds out the trifecta of NCC-The Classic happenings is the Fall Edition. This event is held the first weekend in November. Due to such a full schedule during the Winter Edition, organizers designed the Fall Edition with a focus on offering additional opportunities for juniors.

One of the most popular Fall Edition contests is the junior fitting competition. At the Fall Edition in 2024, 25 fitting teams went head-to-head. “That is probably one of the largest fitting contests in the nation, so we are excited to expand on that,” Ronette shared. “We have the fat steer and breeding heifer show as well as the prospect show, so really excited to build on that as well.”

Junior Focus

Throughout all the events, NCC-The Classic incorporates avenues to educate and develop the next generation of cattle producers. “The one thing that a cattleman truly takes pride in is that firm handshake and looking someone square in the eye. The Classic, myself and our leadership, we take a lot of pride in creating opportunities that help us build that next generation to help instill and carry on those traditional traits of a cattleman that is so important to our industry,” Ronette explained.

NCC-The Classic offers a scholarship program which rewards youth who purchase a steer or a heifer. The juniors participate in a NCC-The Classic sponsored industry tour during the summer and also compete in an interview. Youth in junior, intermediate, and senior divisions earn cash awards at the end of the process. NCC-The Classic awards $24,000 in scholarships each year.

Another opportunity developed specifically for youth is the Aspiring Young Cattlemen program. The program partners juniors with seasoned breeders on an open heifer. The two work together throughout the year and sell the heifer as a bred female the following year at the Winter Edition. They then split the proceeds. Throughout the process the youth receive mentoring and guidance from their industry partner.

With the next Winter Edition just around the corner, one can bet Ronette and the rest of the NCC-The Classic staff and board of directors will be brainstorming additional avenues for cattle producers to build lasting relationships.