Cattlemen’s Young Leaders
Logan Houff was immersed in the cattle industry at a young age. Raised in a livestock auction market (Rockin’ R) in Medicine Hat, Alta., he was taught his cattle breeds before his colours. After graduating from Medicine Hat College as an environmental reclamation technician, he worked as an environmental scientist until 2014. Houff then moved to Eston, Sask., where he worked for a family friend as a farm equipment operator and assisted with the farm’s agronomy. He and his wife, Mari, saved to purchase a property near Eston where they started their calf backgrounding operation and long-yearling program with just a handful of calves. They now custom-background 500 calves, and feed 300 cows, as well grassing around 200 yearlings. Houff ’s mentor is Pat Hayes, who ranches in southwestern Saskatchewan. Hayes has served as the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency chair, the co-chair of the Canadian Cattle Association’s animal health committee, as well as on the board of the local ambulance.
Melissa Gablehaus currently resides north of Westlock, Alta., where she farms with her fiancé and his family. They run a large dairy operation and Gablehaus is a first-generation cow-calf producer. She is experimenting with a variety of different breeds, trying to decide which is more suitable for colder temperatures and breeding for qualities to improve hybrid vigour. She is also very passionate about genetics, which shows in her purebred herd of Speckle Parks. Gablehaus recently graduated with distinction from the faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary. Gablehaus’s mentor is Dr. John McKinnon, who spent nearly 30 years as a professor in animal science at the University of Saskatchewan and served as the Saskatchewan Beef Industry chair. Today he’s a nutrition consultant and writes the Nutrition column for Canadian Cattlemen.
Ryder Lee is rejoining the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) as general manager. Lee previously worked for the CCA’s government affairs office in Ottawa for 10 years, before taking the helm of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association as CEO from 2015 to 2022. Lee officially steps into the GM role on September 1. The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association has posted the CEO position at SaskJobs.ca, and will be accepting applications until August 13.
Tim Sopuck retired from the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) at the end of June. Sopuck had stepped down as CEO in September last year, overseeing MHHC’s Trusts’ grants program. In September, Stephen Carlyle, formerly MHHC chief operating officer, was named CEO, and Meghan Thompson took over as manager of the grants program in June. Sopuck and MHHC built relationships with the beef industry from producers to industry organizations. One tangible result in Manitoba has been the federally funded Species At Risk Partnerships in Agricultural Landscapes (SARPAL) initiative. Manitoba Beef Producers has key management responsibilities for SARPAL. The delivery model, which has MHHC contracted by Manitoba Beef Producers to deliver incentive-based SARPAL projects with producers, recognizes the fundamental importance of the beef industry to habitat conservation.
Fawn Jackson is now chief sustainability officer with the Dairy Farmers of Canada. Most recently, Jackson was director of policy and international affairs with the Canadian Cattle Association. She was also the founding executive director of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and is currently a board member with Ducks Unlimited Canada and 4-H Canada.
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John “Jack” Corbett Anderson, born in Edmonton, Alta., on October 28, 1927, passed away peacefully at 97, with family by…
A member of the Canadian Cattlemen family, Tom Livingston, Duchess, Alta., passed away on March 1, 2022. He was 93. We extend our condolences to his friends and family. Livingston became a Cattlemen columnist in 1994 with his From the Banks of the Red Deer writings. His last column appeared in 2008 when he suffered a stroke. He later published his favourite columns as a book under the same title. Born in Lethbridge, Livingston signed on as a 15-year-old cowpuncher with the George Stringham outfit at Milk River. As a teen, he spent many days employed on various ranch operations in southern Alberta and Montana. Livingston later managed the 700,000-acre Chilco Ranch west of Williams Lake, B.C. His ranching career was interrupted by two years of military service in the Korean War. He had joined the U.S. Army in 1950. The Republic of South Korea bestowed its military Medal of Honor upon him in 2018. Livingston and his family returned to Alberta in the late 1960s. He partnered with Bryce Stringham on a ranch near Cessford, Alta. After a few land deals, Livingston ended up on a spread north of Duchess. The land happened to be the renowned John Ware ranch. Livingston served on many boards and organizations: Eastern Irrigation District, Duchess Ag Society, Alberta Cattle Commission, Canadian Cattle Association, and the Conservative Party. He was both a consultant and board member for the Alberta Surface Rights Federation.
In his columns, Livingston often championed property rights, individual freedoms and personal responsibility. The Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame inducted Livingston in 2008, describing him as “representing the epitome of grassroots leadership.” Livingston’s wife Elaine survives him, as do his daughters Kathryn, Rebecca, son John (Lisa), and their mother Nadene, along with 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Livingston’s son Clayton predeceased him. Readers may obtain Livingston’s book, From the Banks of the Red Deer from Kathryn Livingston at Duchess, Ph./Text 403-376-4096, or via email: [email protected]. Thank you to Mark Kihn for filing this item.
