When it comes to steer shows, 2009 is the year Colby McLeod will remember.
The 17-year-old Cochrane, Alta., high school student showed his crossbred steer in the grand championship spotlight, beating seasoned show people from across western Canada at the Calgary Stampede Steer Classic July 11.
The steer competed at six shows this year and won four of them.
Besides a $1,000 cheque for winning his class, McLeod pocketed another $9,000 for winning grand champion over all breeds. For the first time, the Stampede included an open junior division among the breed classes at the show. It gave people younger than 21 a chance to exhibit their junior and 4-H projects in a professional arena.
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McLeod bought the steer when it was about four months old from friend and neighbour Dustin Lamb, who raises show cattle near Balzac, Alta.
“When I bought him it was kind of a wild card,” said McLeod.
What looks like a good show prospect in the early days can turn into something less than average within a few months. However, he decided to start showing in October and his winning ways began.
McLeod estimates this steer has earned him $16,000 from all the shows and jackpots he entered.
“This steer has done a lot for me,” he said. The windfall is going toward his university education, where he plans to study engineering after he graduates next year.
Besides showing winning steers, McLeod is immersed in the cattle show business, working as a fitter and groomer for purebred producers.
The 1,319-pound steer was sold to Paul Vickers, a Calgary restaurant owner who buys the champion for $10,000 every year and features it in a champion steer dinner in September.
The Vermilion Group of Streamstown, Alta., had the reserve champion overall after claiming top honours in the open division. The animal was raised by Alannah Bryce of Arcola, Sask.
The reserve champion earned $4,000 and was purchased by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen.
Other breed division winners were as follows:
- Angus: Nexara Land and Cattle of Drake, Sask., and reserve Rae-Lee Pieschel of Balzac, Alta.
- Hereford: Flewelling Cattle Co. Ltd. of Bowden, Alta., and reserve Sarah Nixdorff of Airdrie, Alta.
- Limousin: Rocky Payne of Streamstown, Alta., and Adams Hirsche Herefords & Angus of High River, Alta.
- Maine Anjou champion: Mark Draves of Streamstown and reserve Darrell Comazzetto of Kamloops, B.C.
- Murray Grey: Megan Bond of Cardston, Alta., and reserve Barry Fraser of Ardrossan, Alta.
- Shorthorn, Stewart Cattle Co. of Russell, Man., and Fairland Cattle Co. of Penhold, Alta.
- Simmental, Mark Draves and reserve, Flewelling Cattle.
- Speckle Park: Notta Ranch of Neilburg, Sask., and Fairland Cattle Co.
Colton Draves of Streamstown had reserve champion in the junior division, while Justamere Farms Ltd. of Lloydminster, Sask., had reserve champion in the open show.
The market heifer class went to Ethan Gosling of Strathmore, Alta., and reserve to Barry Fraser.
The majority of the animals are entered in the Stampede’s carcass competition on July 13 at XL Foods Inc., which pays $3,000 plus the value of the carcass to the grand champion.
