REGINA – This year’s National Bison Show produced a first-ever tie for the Premier Breeder award.
Wolverine Bison Company of Humboldt, Sask., and Bison Spirit Ranch of Oak Lake, Man., were each recognized Nov. 24 as this year’s premier breeders.
“I was very honoured to be standing up beside them receiving that award,” Trevor Gompf of Bison Spirit Ranch said about Wolverine Bison owners Mark Silzer and Cec Stumborg.
“They’re very reputable people. I have a lot of respect for those two.”
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Wolverine Bison Company won gold in the yearling heifer class and grand champion with the same animal. A bred heifer placed fourth in its class and a two-year-old bull won gold in its class and overall grand champion.
Bison Spirit Ranch picked up reserve grand champion heifer and reserve grand champion bull. It won first place with its yearling bull and bred two-year-old.
Gompf, who has run the ranch since 1997 with his father, said the business was more about marketing meat than showing animals and started showing only a few years ago.
“In my mind there’s only one way to sell breeding bulls is at these shows. Pretty much 90 percent of the people are buying their breeding bulls at these shows and sales.”
Both companies have similar objectives for running their businesses, believing the road to success lies in education and herd improvement.
Gompf said he likes to buy animals from reputable producers with solid programs of maintaining close records and improved herds.
Silzer agreed that buyers place a lot of importance on personal relationships.
“It’s not always about the animals. They get to know the breeders.”
He said Wolverine Bison started small in 1994 and has continued to buy from select bloodlines while building the herd internally.
However, Silzer acknowledged that’s not the only road to success.
“Trevor has come in and has bought some excellent genetics from a lot of really good producers. That’s where people can learn from this industry.”
He said he was disappointed with the lower prices seen at the Nov. 24 sale but remains optimistic.
“I think the prices we saw here today, although some certainly should have been higher or could have been higher, I think it’s more reflective of where the meat market’s going to be.”
He said the lower prices were partly because of the appreciating Canadian dollar and lingering drought in parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
