Considering the price of fat cattle these days, having a prize-winning steer is a big boost to the farm income.
For Michael and Tannis Daines of Innisfail, Alta., and Lee and Dawn Wilson of Bashaw, Alta., having the grand champion at the Calgary Stampede steer classic was the culmination of a whirlwind show season. Their solid black Simmental-Angus cross won 11 out of 14 shows this year. Before they reached the Stampede they had amassed about $20,000 in prize money on the home-raised steer.
“This one kept rising to the top so we just kept showing him,” said Michael Daines, whose daughters Brooklyn, 16, and Rayel, 14, owned the steer. The Wilsons saw the big steer at shows and bought a partnership.
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The Stampede was a first time run for the Daines, who raise purebred and commercial Simmental and Angus cattle at their ranch north of Innisfail. Each year they sell about 50 bulls and can trace the parentage of their champion back to a black Maine Anjou named Smithbilt.
“We’re strictly cattle people,” said Daines.
The Stampede is one of Canada’s richest steer shows and more than 100 animals were entered. Before the sale they are weighed, identification is checked and they are age verified.
The grand champion receives $9,000 as well as the proceeds from the sale to the Chicago Chophouse, a Calgary restaurant. It is also eligible for further cash prizes for winning the breed division.
The reserve grand champion steer came from Boutin Beef Farm of Alida, Sask., from the Simmental class. Another solid black animal, it weighed 1,363 pounds and was purchased by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen. Prize money for reserve was $4,000 plus the proceeds of the sale.
A small class of market heifers was also held with first place of $1,000 going to French Market Stock of Stayner, Ont., and second prize of $500 going to Brooklyn Daines.
A second component of the program is a carcass competition where all interested entrants send their cattle for processing. The grand champion carcass gets $3,000 and the reserve receives $2,000. Additional money is provided by breed associations and other sponsors. Results are announced after the Stampede.
