REGINA – Catherine Callintine’s first trip to Canada netted her a $3,000 cheque.
The 17-year-old Angus showman from Belgrade, Montana, was the first American to win the Canadian Junior Youth Extreme event, held Nov. 27 at this year’s Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.
Youngsters from Ontario to British Columbia competed for division money and the final big cheques for grand and reserve champions in beef breed and multi-breed classes.
Callintine’s win earned her $1,500 in cash and another $1,500 in scholarship money, which she plans to use to pay for her education in cattle genetics.
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“I’m just excited because I get to keep the big cheque,” she said after the show. “I definitely will come back to Canada.”
Callintine and her father were initially turned back at the border crossing at Sweetgrass, Mont., because their import paperwork was not in order. They eventually entered Saskatchewan through North Dakota.
Her winning black heifer, which traces back to Canada, also won a division at the First Lady Classic and placed at the open show. It will be shown in January at the National Western Stock Show.
Callintine has her own small herd and enters 17 shows a year.
She found the showing pattern of moving cattle before the judges to be different than what she is used to but has decided to tell her friends about the show and encourage them to enter.
“I’m going to tell them, ‘you guys have to pay attention,’ ” she said.
Sixteen-year-old Riley LaFrentz of Bienfait, Sask., took the reserve champion banner at the youth event showing a black Simmental from his family’s herd. He won $2,000 in cash and scholarship money.
LaFrentz, who is no stranger to the show ring, selected the heifer as a calf for his 4-H project and also showed it to a first place win at the First Lady Classic at the beginning of Agribition week.
“I worked with her and she came together,” he said.
Once this female has its calf next year, LaFrentz plans to bring them back for a second season of work through 4-H and breed shows.
