REGINA – Having the high selling animal at Canadian Western Agribition remains a thrill even for the seasoned breeders who have stepped into the spotlight more than once.
Dave Hasson and his family of Ariss, Ont., have known that excitement with their Red Angus cattle that come to Agribition every year. The family switched to Angus from polled Hereford six years ago but still see the influence of their Gold Bar breeding stock showing up in the pedigrees in the former breed.
Their 2006 bull calf topped the annual Angus Masterpiece sale at $37,000. It will be moving to Gary and Glenda Mosher’s Glengarry Ranch at Barrhead, Alta., in conjunction with a syndicate purchasing semen interests. The new owners get full possession and half the semen rights.
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A yearling bull from a Gold Bar sire sold for $22,000 and was the consignment of Majestic Livestock, Jeff and Connie Whitely of Millgrove, Ont. The buyers got full possession and a three-quarter interest.
The Hassons also sold a heifer for $3,100, a good price at a time when females are somewhat depressed in the market due to the BSE-closed border. While their American market is dry, Canadian interest remains strong. Their annual August production sale averaged $4,010.
“Good females will sell but there is a lot of pressure on the more medium quality,” he said.
They had built a steady market for their Herefords and interest was beginning to grow for the Angus until the border closed in 2003.
“The U.S. was always a strong market for us,” he said.
Gold Bar is a family affair where the second oldest daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Brad Buchanan, manage the daily operations while Dave continues to manage his financial planning practice.
When the family decided to switch breeds it chose Red Angus for the colour factor. These are more popular in eastern markets where it is more common to see tan coloured herds rather than black cattle grazing the roadside pastures.
“In Ontario, there are a lot of cream coloured calves and they want red bulls,” he said.
The annual Agribition sale was strong with a good range of prices. The 88 lots brought in a total of $408,300 to average $4,640.
Another high seller came from Beverly Hills Angus owned by Shane and Tammy Castle of Swift Current, Sask., and Forsyth Ranches Ltd. of Tompkins, Sask. Born in January of this year, it fetched $22,000 from David Johnson, of Peebles, Sask.
Also selling for $22,000 was a yearling bull from Majestic Livestock that went to Klinger Stock Farm of Toronto and Colombia.
The first American bull to come to Agribition since BSE closed borders in 2003 went up for auction and sold for $8,000 for full possession and a two-thirds interest to Robert Harris, of Islay, Alta.
The March 2005 red bull was grand champion at the Northern International Livestock Exhibition in Billings, Montana, and was eligible to enter the wrap-up supreme champion show. However, an embargo continues on breeding cattle leaving Canada so the bull had to stay. It was consigned by N-Bar Cattle Co. owned by Nolind Ward of Kansas.
At the Red and Black Angus shows, other familiar names appeared.
Grand champion Red Angus bull was from the partnership of Brylor Ranch of Pincher Creek, Alta., Nick and Lorraine VanGaalen of Ardrossan, Alta., and Gary and Glenda Mosher of Barrhead, Alta.
The reserve Red was from Northline Angus, of Ardrossan and Twin Heritage Farm of Sheho, Sask.
The grand champion Red female came from Six Mile Angus of Fir Mountain, Sask., and reserve female was from Jackson Cattle Co. of Sedley, Sask.
The grand champion Black Angus was from the herd of Mountain View Farms Ltd., of Swan River, Man., and the reserve was entered by Justamere Farms of Lloydminster.
The Black grand champion female came from Rob and Gail Hamilton of Cochrane, Alta., while the reserve went to Miller-Wilson Angus of Bashaw, Alta., and Larry and Shannon Reynolds of Sherwood Park, Alta.
