REGINA – Angus breeders Rob and Gail Hamilton swept into Canadian Western Agribition in November with a string of cattle that bested the competition in every event entered.
The Calgary-area family took most of the major prizes at Agribition, including the supreme champion cow for the second year running.
For this family, the show ring laurels are just good publicity. As purebred breeders, their main business is buying and selling bulls through a number of venues including a major production sale every fall.
“You’re out there to show your animals, you’re not really out there to beat somebody,” Rob said between classes at the Black Angus show.
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“Whether you win the class or if you stand fourth or fifth, it doesn’t really matter if you have the cattle you want to advertise.”
Even at a high stakes show like Agribition, Rob said there is friendly competition in the ring. That includes events where he is competing against his brother and sister-in-law Gavin and Mabel Hamilton, who own Belvin Angus at Innisfail, Alta.
Cattle are a family business for the Hamiltons.
Children Wyatt, Wacey and Joel skipped school to help their parents in the barn and the show ring at Agribition. They also showed their own livestock, including entries for the youth heifer show.
But showing is not a full-time passion. Gail is a part owner of Alta Embryos, located west of Calgary. During the off season, she selects and buys host cows for the recipient program, and implants embryos if needed at work and on their ranch. Rob runs the ranch and calves out 200 purebred cows a year.
Rob and Gail bought their first Angus cows in 1981. Their star has risen steadily ever since.
Major herd improvements can be traced back to a couple of home-raised bulls named Dreamwalker and Walk On. These bulls and their progeny have led the Hamiltons to the winner’s circle year after year.
Rob came from a Shorthorn background while Gail was raised on a dairy farm in Manitoba. They met at Olds College in Olds, Alta., where Gail was in animal health technology and Rob was studying animal science.
They have sold cattle to buyers in Great Britain, Ireland and South America.
“Canada is the hotbed of Angus right now,” Rob said. “They’re really riding the wave.”
Everyone is looking for Angus and Rob believes the Canadian style is catching the eye of many with high quality genetics and an extra good health record.
With success piling on top of success in the show ring, what can they do to top the recognition they have received in the last couple of years?
“What we want is to have a successful bull sale,” Rob said. “Nothing else really matters. We’re here to promote our bull sale.”
