REGINA – Many people sitting on the sidelines of a cattle show believe they could do a better job of ranking animals than the judge.
A people’s choice show allows them to put their money where their mouths are.
This year about 50 would-be judges paid $100 each to take their turn in the show ring at the Simmental people’s choice event held at the Canadian Western Agribition Nov. 26.
Three classes of yearling Simmental bulls of every colour and design were paraded before the amateur judges, who had to place every animal.
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The pot is sweetened because everyone who pays to judge gets a chance to select a bull. Each judge is entered in a draw and the winner receives half ownership and full possession of the bull of their choice, while the winning selection earns $10,000 for the breeder.
This year’s draw winner was 13-year-old Brendon McIntyre, who has been coming to Agribition with his father, Rick, and twin brother, Riley, for the last four years. They miss school to attend Agribition and say in unison, “we’d rather be here.”
The boys have shown an early aptitude for selecting the good ones.
“I have to pay them for every first place class winner and so far I owe them money,” said Rick.
Unknown to Brendon, his selection of a black yearling from Robb Farms of Maidstone, Sask., was also the people’s choice for grand champion of the show. Robb Farms also won the reserve champion.
Surprised at his win, Brendon realized he now needs a cow herd. He was also quick to turn down offers to sell the bull to adult buyers who wanted the black yearling for their herds.
Brendon is a third generation Simmental enthusiast.
His family owns ABC Cattle Co., the oldest Simmental operation in North America. Rick’s father, Lloyd McIntyre, travelled to Switzerland in 1969 to start a herd that now consists of 50 purebred cows with heavy Fleckvieh influence at the Churchbridge, Sask., area farm.
