REGINA – With a whoop that could be heard throughout the arena, Jonathan Fox IV led his grand champion Black Angus bull to the winners’ circle at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina held Nov. 22-27.
“It’s tough to get here. There are a lot of good cattle out there,” he said.
Part of the Justamere Ranch, he is the grandson of Jonathan Fox, an early supporter of the fair who evoked some controversy when he judged a Hereford show on horseback in the early days of Agribition.
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As longtime Polled Hereford breeders, Fox’s grandfather and father, Lyal, added Angus to the Lloydminster headquarters in 1976.
“Dad and Grandpa wanted a second breed and Angus were a good fit with the Herefords,” he said.
Fox’s brother, Ben, keeps the Herefords at Dauphin, Man., and brother, Jay, raises commercial cattle at Ste. Rose, Man.
Justamere 406S Stabilizer 507U, this year’s Agribition champion, has been a winner all season, taking top prizes at Edmonton’s Farmfair, Olds Fall Classic and the Lloydminster Fair.
Shane Michelson of Lipton, Sask., is a relative newcomer to the breed compared to the Fox dynasty.
His 2008 black female with a heifer calf at side was named grand champion female. She also collected the grand champion banner at Farmfair earlier this fall.
A Saskatchewan field representative for the purebred marketing company Transcon Livestock in Alberta, Michelson has been successful at many shows.
“She has won all the time since we raised her,” he said. “We always liked her from the time she was a baby. She was always a standout.”
He also owns shares in a champion Charolais cow.
“I prefer good cattle. A good one is a good one, no matter what the breed.”
At the Red Angus show, Ter Ron Farms of Forestburg, Alta., exhibited the grand champion bull while the reserve went to Cinder Angus of Barrhead, Alta.
The grand champion red female was from Redrich Farms of Forestburg, Alta., and Mar Mac Farms of Brandon showed the reserve winner.
