The annual Canadian Angus Foundation Building the Legacy fundraiser auction, held at the conclusion of the Canadian Angus Association Annual National Convention in Saskatoon, Sask., raised more than $129,000 for programming.
The sale had five feature lots, including:
- A pick of 2023 red and black heifer calves. The red pick was donated by Wheeler’s Stock Farm of Saskatoon, Sask., and purchased by Sandridge Land and Cattle of Iowa for $12,500. The black pick was donated by Fleury Cattle Company, Matt and Cassie Fleury of Aberdeen, Sask., and sold to MacKinnon Homestead of Vernon, P.E.I. and Lorenz Angus of Innisfail, Alta.
- Lot 3 was a flush of Brooking Abigail 6006 donated by Brooking Angus Ranch of Radville, Sask., which sold to Blairswest Land & Cattle of Drake, Sask., for $7,000.
- Lot 4 was a pregnant recipient, donor Bar-E-L-Erica 74A, sire Mc Cumber La Joya 098, due March 2024, donated by Blairs.Ag Cattle Company, Kevin Blair of Lanigan, Sask., which sold for $8,000 to Anchorage Farms of Hanley, Sask.
- Lot 5 was a pregnant recipient, donor The Mac Blackbird 28G, sire J Trademark 1037, due October 2023, donated by the Chenail family of Ranch Covey Hill in Havelock, Que., and purchased for $7,000 by Domaine Iron Hill Inc. of Bromont, Que.
The high-selling embryo donation was a package of two embryos from the Liebreich family, Merit Cattle Co. of Radville, Sask., Merit Flora 6078D x Schiefelbein Gable 311 that sold for $6,000 to 66 Ranch of Duchess, Alta. The high-selling semen donation was a package of five straws on HLC CSI Private Stock 879J donated by Hollinger Land & Cattle, CSI Angus — Roger Reynolds and Worth-Mor Farms, which sold to International Fabulous Females Group.
Other sale highlights include:
- $1,500 for four tickets to a Toronto Blue Jays game in the 2023 or 2024 season, donated by Bar 5 Stock Farms, Ron, Carla and Greg Nolan of Markdale, Ont., and purchased by Wilbar Cattle Co, of Dundurn, Sask.
- A black Angus Angela Davidson print donated by James Arnott, Mains of Coul Farm, near Forfar in Angus, Scotland, and Gavin and Mabel Hamilton, Belvin Angus, Innisfail, Alta., which sold to ARDA/Freeway Angus of Acme, Alta., for $3,400.
- Three gallons of maple syrup produced by the Sample family of Mac Angus Farms in Havelock, Que., and purchased by Brooking Angus Ranch of Radville, Sask., for $375 per gallon.
- A red plush Angus calf donated by the Canadian Angus Association that sold for $500 to George and Laura Baxter of Count Ridge Red Angus of Bassano, Alta.
- The Canadian Angus Association also donated Genuine Angus wine and gift sets produced through our new partnership with Vanessa Vineyards that raised nearly $6,000.
Later in the summer, 150 youth gathered in Swift Current, Sask. for Showdown, the Canadian Junior Angus annual national show. On Saturday evening, a random draw was held and the Canadian Angus Foundation presented $7,000 in heifer vouchers to three attendees. Tristan Tober received a voucher for $3,000 and Aleida Morrison and Kate Nielsen each received a voucher for $2,000. The vouchers are to be used toward the purchase of a registered Angus female.
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Cache McLerie was presented with the 2023 Canadian Angus Foundation Junior Angus Stockman Award at the Canadian Junior Angus Showdown. McLerie owns and operates Black Chrome Livestock, located just west of Innisfail, Alta., along with his sister Jill, who received the Junior Angus Stockman Award in 2020. This is the first time that two siblings have received the same honour.
McLerie grew up on a large commercial cow-calf operation that made use of artificial insemination and genetic enhancement to improve the herd. That knowledge and experience, combined with his exposure to and involvement in the Canadian Junior Angus program, led McLerie to pursue purebred cattle. He received a diploma in agriculture management majoring in commerce and livestock nutrition from Olds College. In 2019, Black Chrome Livestock became guest consignors in the Ultra/ Czech-Mate Bull Sale, where they sold their first bulls. This year, Black Chrome Livestock had their first online bull sale.
Canadian Junior Angus also presented three juniors with scholarships totalling $6,500 at Showdown. Jessica Davey of Saskatoon, Sask., received the first-place scholarship of $3,000; Lexi Dietrich of Forestburg, Alta., received the second-place scholarship of $2,000; and Callie Steen of Dundurn, Sask., received the third-place scholarship of $1,500.
Jessica Davey’s family operates Rivendale Cattle Company near Saskatoon, and she also has her own herd of 15 Angus females. She does contract livestock photography and is in her third year of a bachelor of science in agriculture degree, with a major in the animal science program and a minor in agribusiness, at the University of Saskatchewan. Davey intends to become a progressive livestock producer raising both purebred Angus and commercial cattle. Davey is the past president of the Saskatchewan Junior Angus Association and is secretary of her local 4-H club.
Lexi Dietrich has completed her first year of the animal science technology, beef major diploma program at Lakeland College. She works with her family at Redrich Farms. She joined the Canadian Junior Angus board last year as an Alberta director and is the president of her 4-H club. Her career goal is to help with the family business and be employed in the agricultural industry.
Callie Steen will begin studying kinesiology at the University of North Dakota in September. Upon completion of her degree, she plans to apply to medical school and become a sports medicine doctor. Steen is a competitive track and field athlete, a two-time provincial track and field champion and has been ranked top 10 in a national ranking. She has also served as a director and secretary with the Saskatchewan Junior Angus Association and on the executive of her local 4-H beef club.
