When Mabel Hamilton became a delegate to the Alberta Cattle Commission, the Innisfail rancher was breaking new ground as one of two women to join the circle of men in 1988.
“It hasn’t always been easy,” she said.
A jibe from another delegate that she should be at home looking after her two children made her decide to work twice as hard.
“That sparked a competitive streak in me.”
That tenacity took her to the board of directors of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and she served three years as chair of the Beef Information Centre. Hamilton has also been president of the Canadian Angus Association and Canada Beef Breeds Council and is currently chair of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency.
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A mother, teacher and full-time rancher, she was unaware of the Rosemary Davis award, which will take her to a Chicago women’s conference in April.
The award is named after Farm Credit Canada’s first female board chair. This is the first year FCC has made the award.
Five women across Canada won the trip, including Allan, Sask., grain farmer Noreen Johns and Kay Young of Young’s Beef Farm in Lethbridge. Johns and Young were both active in the now defunct Canadian Farm Women’s Network.
