Foot-blistering heat may have kept some urbanites away from this year’s
Calgary Stampede but in the agriculture barns, another kind of heat was
generated as all kinds of four-legged species were bathed, clipped,
combed and made ready for Alberta’s largest summer livestock show.
A heat wave with daytime temperatures over the 32 C mark saw attendance
sit at about 1.2 million for the 10 day event, close to the average.
In the barns, fans were blowing and plenty of water was on hand as
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shows moved indoors to keep the sheep, horses, cattle, alpacas, llamas
and donkeys comfortable.
Fifteen breeds paraded before seven judges at the Beef Supreme
challenge. The $10,000 cheque went to Dawn Miller, Lee Wilson and
Angela Northey of Bashaw, Alta., for the best female representing the
Angus breed. The top bull was a yearling Charolais from Vogeli Bros.
and Cadieux Charolais of Shaunavon, Sask.
The emphasis was on beef at the halter to hook competition where cattle
are judged live followed by a carcass evaluation. This year’s champion
was Robert Lundago of Olds, Alta. His entry was the live champion at
the steer show as well as the top carcass. He raises purebred black and
red Simmentals. Reserve champion was Robert Preece of Loon Lake, Sask.
The Sterling Silver carcass competition sponsored by Cargill Foods went
to a Simmental entered by Dusty Howell of Penhold, Alta.
This year’s fed beef expo was so close the final marks from the five
judges on the heifer side nearly tied at 90.72 and 90.70. Andy Rock of
Delia, Alta., won grand and reserve champion heifers with his Limousin
cross females. A longtime order buyer and cattle feeder, Rock has seen
the cattle change since the contest started nearly 15 years ago.
“They used to have more defined muscle and now they want them fatter so
they grade AAA,” he said after the competition held at Olds Auction
Mart.
The grand champion steer pen award went to Lloyd Hodge of Morin, Alta.
Hodge entered for the first time last year and this year took home a
cheque for $4,000 with his set of home-raised red and black steers from
a Maine Anjou bull and Red Angus mothers.
The Bayer yearling heifer show saw 19 females representing 10 breeds.
The grand champion went to Limousin breeder Gary Anderson of Bethune,
Sask. Reserve heifer went to Angus breeder Rob Hamilton of Calgary.
The rodeo events were marred when five horses had to be destroyed after
they were injured during evening chuckwagon races. A calf was also
destroyed following a roping event.
More than 17,000 people crowded into the rodeo each afternoon. The
final winners included a repeat $50,000 performance from Claresholm,
Alta., cowgirl Jill Blesplug who won the ladies’ barrel racing for the
second consecutive year.
Cheques for $50,000 each went to Rod Hay of Wildwood, Alta., for best
saddle bronc rider and Cody Jessee of Oregon for bareback rider.
Justin Volz of Charlie Lake, B.C., took the bull riding. Marty Becker
of Cardston, Alta., was the best calf roper while Bill Pace of Texas
was the top steer wrestler.
The fastest chuckwagon was owned and driven by Kelly Sutherland of
Grande Prairie, Alta.
