Congratulations go out to the new board members of the Canadian Limousin Association (CLA) elected at its annual meeting Aug. 8 in Stratford, Ont. Terry Hepper of Zehner, Sask., is the new president and Bill Zwambag of Glencoe, Ont. is treasurer. The selection of the vice-president position was left until the next meeting. The remaining directors are: Erin Kishkan, Quesnel, B.C.; Lynn Combest, Erskine, Alta.; Jim Richmond, Rumsey, Alta.; Tim Andrew, Youngstown, Alta.; Eric Boon, Lucky Lake, Sask.; Mark Angus, Roblin, Man.; and Matthew Heleniak, Norwich, Ont. Past president Brian Lee stepped down after six years on the board and Richard Renaud after one.
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Prior to the AGM the directors toured Norpac and numerous feedlots in the Norwich area feeding Limousin cattle. The CLA commercial committee held a Cattlemen’s Evening with speakers from St. Helens Meat Packers and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. It’s hoped this will become an annual event held in conjunction with the Canadian Junior Limousin Association’s (CJLA) Impact Show and the CLA AGM.
Fifty-two juniors from five provinces showed 104 head of cattle during the Canadian Junior Limousin Association (CJLA) Impact Show held after the AGM.
The Canadian Hereford Association re-elected president Daryl Kirton of Abbotsford, B.C. and vice-president Doug Mann of Swift Current, Sask., during the group’s annual meeting July 31 in Fredericton, N.B. Starting January 1, 2016, Nels Nixdorff, Airdrie, Alta., will become the chairman of the association’s pedigree committee in place of Andy Schuepbach of Claresholm, Alta., who is stepping down from the board. Other changes to the board include the election of Leon Silk of Grafton, Ont., to replace the late Burt Grundy, Blaine Brost of Irvine, Alta., who replaces Doug Finseth of Okotoks, Alta., and Phillip Thorne of Glenvale, N.B. who replaces Andy Carter of Amherst, N.S.
During the business meeting a request by the Manitoba Hereford Association to host the 2016 Western National Hereford Show during the Manitoba Livestock Expo in October was approved by the board. The Alberta Hereford Association will host this year’s Western National Hereford Show at Farmfair International in November and again in 2017.
Cassandra Gorril from Ontario is the 2015-16 president of the Canadian Junior Hereford Association joining vice-president Wyatt Olton from Nova Scotia, secretary Samantha Rimke from Manitoba and communications co-ordinator Allison Mastine of Quebec on the executive.
The Canadian Western Agribition has been at the centre of a number of recent announcements. First came the news that the Mosaic Company had agreed to sponsor a new food pavilion at the annual livestock show featuring a variety of exhibits offering food products, kitchen products, workshops, cooking demonstrations, As Seen On TV products, and food sampling.
“The growth in our consumer shopping area has paved the way for the show to highlight the entire food story,” explained CWA president, Stewart Stone. “We have all the best cattle here as well as exceptional grain and other livestock contributors. Creating a venue to highlight and market food from the Prairies is a natural progression.
“We hope to see the venue visited by families from both city and country,” added Stone. The food pavilion will be launched on November 23.
Next, came the blockbuster announcement by Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart who jointly committed $22 million in Growing Forward 2 money to construct a 150,000-square-foot multipurpose International Trade Centre (ITC) at Evraz Place. The city later approved its $11-million contribution to the joint project. The centre will be located between the Ag-Ex Pavilion and the Canada Centre complex and replace a number of old buildings and barns on the 102-acre Evraz Place property. “This project will take the facilities at Evraz Place to a world-class level,” says Evraz Place president and CEO Mark Allan.
It should be completed by November 2017, in time for Agribition.
Finally came the reminder of the October 1 closing deadline for two new events at this year’s Agribition; the President’s Classic bull calf jackpot event sponsored by Semex at the Chevrolet GMC Stadium, Nov. 24, and the first Lady Classic jackpot event sponsored by Merck to select the top yearling heifer at Agribition. More details can be found in my column last month.
The 36th Annual Canadian Junior Hereford Association Bonanza was held in Fredericton, N.B. July 28 to August 1, at the Fredericton Exhibition Grounds. The organizers put together a fantastic show with its own Maritime flair, including a traditional lobster supper, courtesy of AXA Polled Herefords. This year’s Bonanza featured 110 head of cattle and 86 juniors who demonstrated that the future of the breed is in capable hands.
Bonanza 2016 will be held in Olds, Alta., Aug. 9 to 13 at the Olds Exhibition Grounds.
The Keith Gilmore Foundation held a successful fundraiser auction during the banquet of the 2015 CJHA Bonanza. On auction was a heifer calf, OLTN 90X COVER GIRL 8C, donated by Victor and Novadawn Oulton of Outon’s Farm in Nova Scotia and two lots of embryos, REMITALL NADINE 3S x NJW FHF 9710 TANK 45P, donated by Allan Marshall, AXA Farms of New Brunswick. The heifer calf was sold for $5,000 to Jeff and Debbie Paul of British Columbia. The embryo lots sold for $900 each to NCX Polled Herefords of Alberta and Peter Bekker of Nova Scotia.
The winners of the Canadian Junior Angus Association’s Showdown art competition were presented at the Showdown in Olds. The art includes everything from drawings to welding projects. The champions and reserve champions are: Junior: (ages nine-12), Brynne Yoder, Barrhead, Alta.; Lilly Howell, Penhold, Alta. Intermediate: (ages 13-16) Wade Olynyk, Goodeve, Sask.; Chris Jermey, Ashern, Man. Senior: (ages 17-21), Becky Domolewski, Taber, Alta.; Ty Schwan, Swift Current, Sask. Showdown is an annual summer cattle show organized by the Canadian Junior Angus Association. This year 118 participants took part.
Fifty-five enthusiastic Manitoba and Saskatchewan junior cattle producers showed 88 head of cattle at the 8th annual Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup July 31-Aug. 2 in Neepawa, Man. The weekend started off with the Ag Challenge sponsored by Gold Sponsor Mazer Group, a timed competition with some tasks that require knowledge of the livestock industry like halter making, verified beef, parts of the animal and tattooing an animal. Sunday featured competitions in sales talks, impromptu speeches, photography, graphic design, art, stall cards, PowerPoint and video presentations, team marketing, scrapbooking, as well as judging and grooming.
The champions of the T Bar C Invitational Gold Sponsor Showmanship competition were: Carson Baker, Neepawa (peewee); Katie Falconer, Hartney (junior); Justin Carvey, Alexander (intermediate); Kolton McIntosh (senior).
The winners of the breed grand champion banners were: Angus: Haley Brownell, Redvers, Sask., (female); Ty Nykoliation, Crandall (bull). Shorthorn: Wyatt Inglis, Rapid City (female); Justin Kristjansson, Forrest (bull). Simmental: Kolton McIntosh, Eriksdale (female, bull). Mixed breed: Kaitlyn Davey, Limousin (female, bull). Commercial: Kolton McIntosh, Eriksdale (female); Justin Carvey, Alexander (fat steer).
The Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup’s Agribition judging team are: Taylor Carvey, Alexander; Raina Syrnyk, Ethelbert; and Laura Tolton, Carberry.
The grade aggregate award winners covering cattle and other events were: Carson Baker, Neepawa (peewee); Taylor Carlson, Elm Creek (junior); Naomi Best, Harding (interemediate) and Raina Syrnyk, Ethelbert (senior).
This year the Roundup raised $1,635 for STARS.
Lacey Fisher of Amherst, N.S. was elected president of the Canadian Simmental Association at the group’s annual convention July 30 to Aug. 2 in Lindsay, Ont. Joining her on the executive are first vice-president, David Milliner of Dundalk, Ont., and second vice-president Lee McMillen of Carievale, Sask. Newly elected to the board this year for three-year terms are Francis Gagnon, Garth Rancier and Dan Skeels.
Both the convention and the attendant Young Canadian Simmental Association National Classic enjoyed the largest turnouts in recent memory. The annual report presented at the meeting is available at www.simmental.com. During the banquet all were surprised by the reappearance of the taxidermied head of Parisien, the first bull imported to North America. Parisien and memorabilia were last seen during the 2006 World Simmental Fleckvieh Federation Congress, in Calgary where he went missing.
After the banquet the YCSA was presented with a cheque for $11,090 representing the Simmental portion of the 2015 T Bar Invitational Golf Tournament. The following Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Fundraising Auction raised over $105,00 for research, youth programming and scholarships. The following day the YCSA was presented with a cheque for $15,000 on behalf of the FCSF.
Next year’s convention will be held in Lloydminster, Sask.
Congratulations go out to Tessa Nybo, the general manager of the Canadian Limousin Association, who married Colin Verbeek on July 25.
September 25-27, 2015 marked the third edition of the Young Ranchman’s All Breeds Livestock Show at the Swift Current Ag and Ex grounds, in conjunction with the Ridin and Recitin weekend. Participants took part in show team judging, marketing, photography, art, showmanship, grooming, public speaking, and a variety of educational workshops. The show also runs the Little Ranchers program for those eight and younger. Another feature is the Southwest Prospect Classic Steer Show, an open entry prospect steer show featuring a guaranteed cheque with added jackpot for both champion and reserve steers. The weekend was open to all youth 21 and under.
Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup and Manitoba Ag Days presented two $1,000 scholarships during the MYBR weekend to Taylor Carvey of Alexander and Raina Syrnyk of Ethelbert.
