For National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) member Paige Lemenager, leadership extends beyond the confines of an officer position or name plate. Whether it be having a conversation with someone new or simply choosing to be kind to others, she says the smallest interactions can make a world of difference to a junior that looks up to you. 

While mingling with fellow Angus enthusiasts during the closing ceremonies at the 2024 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS), Lemenager says she was humbled to hear her name announced as the Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award recipient. 

“I was proud that other people had recognized my love for the breed; I was proud that other people put their confidence in me to continue being a strong leader,” she explains. 

A family trio 

Lemenager was born into the breed. Her family’s involvement with Angus cattle began in 1998, a year prior to her parent’s engagement.

“[My father] had actually got a bonus check, and rather than going out and buying an engagement ring, [my parents] decided that an Angus female would have been a better foundation for the future,” Lemenager says with a smile. 

When their daughter came into the world, two became three. 

“We tackle things as a family unit,” Lemenager says simply. 

The family has accomplished huge goals at 10 years worth of the NJAS together. Exhibiting the reserve grand champion bred-and-owned female at the 2022 and 2023 NJAS and winning the 2022 National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest are highlights of their success. 

Lemenager names her parents as her biggest role models. She says their support in and out of the showring have influenced her to be the best version of herself daily. 

“In terms of instilling a strong work ethic inside me and seeing the way they treated others during my junior membership, it really inspired me to be a better leader,” she explains. 

Without siblings to influence, she has made it a priority to help other junior members find their full potential. 

“Leadership’s a big part of my life. It always has been because I’m an only child,” she says. “Leadership was my way of helping others in the Angus family grow our breed as a whole.”

Lemenager says easy conversations like answering questions from a younger member or providing advice to others looking to become more competitive are simple ways to take on the role model mentality. It doesn’t matter who you are or what title you may carry, Lemenager says simply lending a helping hand is a step in the right direction.

Paving the way

Lemenager began serving on the Illinois Junior Angus Association (IJAA) board as a director in 2017 and has held many office positions in recent years.

“I served as secretary, show secretary, vice president and president, and each of those positions did honestly shape me,” she says. 

Serving in larger capacities has made Lemenager appreciate the value within each role. Aside from leadership skills, the junior explains she was able to gain practical expertise from serving in these positions.

 One of Lemenager’s abilities that shines from an advisor’s perspective is her dependency. 

“She is one that we can give a role or task to, and we don’t have to worry about it from the time that it leaves our mouths,” says Kayla Anderson, IJAA advisor. “I strongly feel that that’s because of her motivation.”

With leadership skills that are second-to-none and a work ethic which doesn’t rest, Anderson says Lemenager is a role model to younger members within the breed. 

“A great leader and mentor must have the type of enthusiasm that Paige demonstrates,” she says. “I think that the younger kids really just pay attention to Paige, and she’s a huge role model to them because of her enthusiasm and the positive impact that she has had on so many.” 

When she heard Lemenager’s name announced as the award recipient, Anderson wasn’t shocked. 

“I just smiled and said to myself, ‘She shines again’,” Anderson says. “She is so deserving of awards like this because of all that she does and the effort that she puts in, proud was definitely an understatement.”

Lemenager’s past roles in programs like 4-H and FFA or on her collegiate livestock judging teams have helped her diversify her skillset. She recently completed her associates degree as an agriculture transfer student at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill., and will attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock this fall. She is studying animal science with an agriculture economics minor and aspires to attend law school after receiving her bachelor’s degree. 

However, her goals upon graduation don’t stray from leading others in a positive direction. 

“I want to be an attorney in estate and succession planning just to help farmers and ranchers, not only in my community but in my state and in other states as well if my career grows,” she says. “Just really helping people manage the legacies they’ve built, specifically shaping their futures for their families and future generations.” 

This accomplishment isn’t a final capstone for the ambitious, young cattlewoman. With one more year of junior eligibility, Lemenager is determined to use this award as momentum for her next steps within the breed. 

“Just because I received the award doesn’t mean that I am done being a leader,” she says. 

Staying authentic and honest in her leadership is the plan for this trailblazer’s future.