Voting is now open to select the winner of the 13th annual National Anthem Contest. Four finalists have been selected, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is inviting the public to vote through Nov. 15.
The winner will perform the Star-Spangled Banner at the Opening General Session of CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 3 to 5, and will receive round trip airfare, a hotel room for three nights, complimentary convention registration, plus a pair of boots, jeans, and a shirt from Roper or Stetson.
Introducing the four finalists:
Elle Glaser of Tangent, Oregon, is a fourth-generation farmer who grew up showing cattle. Elle and her two sisters established Triple G Cattle Company where they strive to improve the quality and genetics of their breeding females to produce competitive show cattle and exceptional locker beef.
Gracyn Stevens of Kirklin, Indiana, appreciates the lessons she has learned while showing cattle in 4-H. The cattle industry has taught her that success is not about the banners, but the effort and passion put into each project.
Zoey Symons of Lake Charles, Louisiana, attends McNeese State University and aspires to one day own a farm-to-table restaurant. Zoey’s family started a cattle farm in 2020, and she looks forward to deepening her connection to the beef industry and other sectors of the agriculture industry in the future.
Kendall Whatley of Stephenville, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia, and a master’s from the University of Georgia with research focused on beef cattle nutrition and forages. She worked in genomic testing, animal health and handling equipment sales, and advanced reproductive technologies before becoming an agronomist in the carbon credit space.
Videos of the finalists are available for viewing and voting are available here. The public can vote once per day per person through Nov. 15, and the winner will be announced by Nov. 21.
To see the winner sing in person, register for CattleCon 2026 by visiting convention.ncba.org.
