Prince Edward Island beef cattle exhibitors represented the province very well at the recent Maritime Fall Fair in Halifax.
In the open show, judge Garth Rancier of Alberta had high praise for a number of the entries exhibited by Island breeders. By the end of the weekend, a vast number of grand champion ribbons were hanging above cattle from Prince Edward Island.
Young exhibitors from the province did their home territory proud by taking a number of top awards in the Junior Beef Show. A highlight of the weekend was the major win by Colby MacQuarrie of Milton. His Esker View Polly 3U was named supreme grand champion female over all breeds in the show. The other major win of the weekend was 10-year-old Jake Matheson of Forest Hill winning top honours in the fair's junior show. This was no small accomplishment as he beat out some of the region's top young beef people to win the title.
ANGUS
In the Angus show, Islanders took both grand champions. James Worth of Cornwall came away with the grand champion bull title with HMF Stockman 5X. Esker View Polly 3U, exhibited by Colby MacQuarrie of Milton, was the grand champion female. The junior champion female ribbon was presented to Bannockburn Valley Dolly 3W, an entry from the Boyd Dixon family of Cornwall. This entry went on to be named reserve grand champion female. The Dixons were also named premier breeder and premier exhibitor. The reserve junior champion female was an entry from Richard Palmer of St. Peter's Bay, Cable Head Queen 6W.
• Bull Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. HMF Stockman 5X, James Worth; 3. Cable Head Kodiak 16X, Richard Palmer.
• Female Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. HMF Blackbird 12X, James Worth; 2. Miltonvale Polly 1X, Colby MacQuarrie; 3. Bannockburn Valley Rose 12X, Boyd Dixon Family; 4. HMF Primrose 6X, James Worth; 6. MKHF Prime Beauty 1X, MacKinnon Homestead.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009 (first split): 1. Bannockburn Valley Dolly 3W, Boyd Dixon Family; 2. Cable Head Queen 6W, Richard Palmer; 3. Miltonvale Annie 1W, Colby MacQuarrie; 4. SMW Enamma 108W, MacKinnon Homestead; 6. Wheatley River Wyoming 4W, Wheatley River Farm.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009 (second split): 1. SMW Mistress 117W, MacKinnon Homestead; 3. Bannockburn Valley Trill 41W, Boyd Dixon Family.
• Female, born January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, with 2010 calf at foot: 1. Esker View Polly 3U, Colby MacQuarrie; 3. Cable Head Queen 3U, Richard Palmer.
• Female, born prior to January 1, 2008, with calf at foot: 1. Bannockburn Valley Rose 2L, Boyd Dixon Family.
• Breeder’s Herd: 1. Boyd Dixon Family.
• Get of Sire: 1. Boyd Dixon Family.
CHAROLAIS
Cornerstone Charolais of Cornwall and Charhaven Farms, also of Cornwall, took most of the top awards in the Charolais show. Charhaven X-Plosion 101X was named grand champion bull for Charhaven Farms, who was also named premier breeder. Ricky and Nancy Milton's Cornerstone Charolais captured the junior champion female and reserve grand champion awards with Cornerstone What A Gal 2W as well as the reserve junior champion female title with their Cornerstone X-Otica 1X.
• Bull Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. Charhaven X-Plosion 101X, Charhaven Farms.
• Female Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. Cornerstone X-Otica 1X, Cornerstone Charolais; 2. Charhaven Xtra Sexy 103X, Charhaven Farms; 3. Charhaven X-Pose 102X, Charhaven Farms; 5. Cornerstone Xtra Xtra 6X, Cornerstone Charolais.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009: 1. Cornerstone What A Gal 2W, Cornerstone Charolais.
COMMERCIAL
A number of Island animals were exhibited in the Commercial Cattle show, a division for crossbred and non-registered stock. Spud Island Farms of York Point walked away with the reserve grand champion in this division with their entry named Black Beauty.
• Steer: 3. Champ, James Worth; 4. Lanny, MacKinnon Homestead.
• Female, Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. Wheatley River Smokie, Wheatley River Farm; 2. Xpi, MacKinnon Homestead; 4. Greenback Xcite, Robert Holmes; 7. Cloverdale Nasty Whip, Cloverdale Shorthorns.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009: 2. Black Beauty, Spud Island Farms.
HEREFORD
Hereford breeders of the Maritimes came out in full force at this year's Fall Fair. This was a special year for the Hereford breed as it marked 150 years in Canada. Burnside Herefords of Cornwall brought the reserve grand champion bull ribbon back to the Island with Burnside Wizard of Oz 31W.
• Bull Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010 (second split): 3. Burnside X-Box 59X, Burnside Herefords.
• Bull Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009: 2. Burnside Wizard of Oz 31W, Burnside Herefords.
• Female Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010 (first split): 2. Crane’s BCL Penny 11X, Crane Cattle Co.; 3. Kimbrook Fancy 2X, Kimbrook Farm; 4. Crane’s BCL Xanadu 21X, Crane Cattle Co.
• Female Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010 (third split): 1. Burnside Xpress 45X, Burnside Herefords.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009 (first split): 3. Kimbrook Ellie 4N, Matheson Farms.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009 (second split): 3. Burnside Yedda 9W, Burnside Herefords; 5. HF 83T Nighting Gal 240W, Crane Cattle Co.; 6. Crane’s Whiskey Girl 101W, Crane Cattle Co.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009 (third split): 1. CHB Crow Harbour Whiskey 5W, Josh Proud; 3. WLB 69T Tara 74W, Burnside Herefords.
• Female, born January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, with 2010 calf at foot: 2. Burnside Empress 30U, Burnside Herefords.
• Female, born prior to January 1, 2008, with 2010 calf at foot: 2. Elm-Lodge Empire Supreme 70S, Burnside Herefords; 6. Kimbrook Jenn 3S, Kimbrook Farm.
• Breeder’s Herd: 4. Burnside Herefords.
SHORTHORN
Veteran Shorthorn breeders Seymour and Janet Hurry of Winsloe took most of the awards in the Shorthorn show with their Evergreen herd. Evergreen Rosie’s First Blood 3X was named grand champion bull. Evergreen LCA Wishful 11W was awarded the ribbons for junior champion female and grand champion female. The Hurrys followed that up by exhibiting their Evergreen Lady 1X and coming away with the awards for reserve junior champion female and reserve grand champion female. They were also named premier breeder and premier exhibitor in the Shorthorn show.
• Bull Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. Evergreen Rosie's First Blood 3X, Evergreen Farm; 4. Evergreen Sue’s Panzer 10X, Evergreen Farm.
• Female Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 1. Evergreen Lady 1X, Evergreen Farm; 2. Evergreen Ruby Ava 8X, Evergreen Farm; 3. Evergreen Lady Panda 6X, Evergreen Farm; 6. Cloverdale Who’s That 1X, Cloverdale Shorthorns.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009: 1. Evergreen LCA Wishful 11W, Evergreen Farm.
• Female, born January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, with 2010 calf at foot: 1. Alta Cedar Suzette 50U, Evergreen Farm.
• Breeder’s Herd: 1. Evergreen Farm.
SIMMENTAL
Not to be outdone by the other Islanders in Halifax, the Simmental breeders took their share of the major awards up for grabs at the fair. It has been a few years since Spud Island Farms last showed at the Maritime Fall Fair, but the Sandersons made their presence known by capturing the grand champion bull award with their Spud Island Stride 80W and grand champion female with Spud Island Trendsetter 93U. Spud Island Farms were also named premier breeder and premier exhibitor. The Matheson family of Forest Hill has been making a name for itself in the show ring in recent years. At the Fall Fair, their BJM Goldmine GG 2W was named junior champion female and reserve grand champion female.
• Bull Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010: 4. Spud Island Blackout 14X, Spud Island Farms.
• Bull Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009: 1. Spud Island Stride 80W, Spud Island Farms; 2. Spud Island Wiseman 90W, Spud Island Farms.
• Female Calf, born on or after January 1, 2010 (second split): 2. Spud Island Trendsetter 71X, Spud Island Farms; 3. BJM Lady in Red 2X, Matheson Farms; 4. Spud Island Red Lady 65X, Spud Island Farms; 5. BJM Olympia On Target 5X, Matheson Farms; 7. Spud Island Red Rose 38X, Spud Island Farms.
• Female Yearling, born January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009: 1. BJM Goldmine GG 2W, Matheson Farms; 4. Spud Island Wanda 68W, Spud Island Farms.
• Female, born January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, with 2010 calf at foot: 1. Spud Island Trendsetter 93U, Spud Island Farms.
• Female, born prior to January 1, 2008, with 2010 calf at foot: 1. Robson Acres Tootsie 5T, Spud Island Farms.
• Breeder’s Herd: 1. Spud Island Farms.
• Get of Sire: 1. Spud Island Farms.
JUNIOR SHOW
A major component of the Maritime Fall Fair beef show is the Junior Beef Show. This year, 57 youth from all three Maritime provinces competed. They took part in a number of events which included a quiz based on their knowledge of beef cattle, judging competition, conformation classes and showmanship. The judge for the show was Dale MacPhee of Nova Scotia. When everything was added up, Jake Matheson of Forest Hill was named winner of the Jamie Irving Memorial Trophy for overall champion junior. He beat out some tough competition, including competitors who were twice his age.
In the British breeds division, which included the Herefords, Shorthorns, and Angus, Kaitlin McAloney of Cornwall took the champion with her Angus entry of Cable Head Queen 6W. Brady Matheson from Forest Hill took the prize for reserve champion exotic with his BJM Goldmine GG 2W. The exotic division was for Simmentals, Charolais, and Limousins. In the commercial classes, Kyle Younker took the champion award with Wheatley River Smokey. In the same division, Tricia Sanderson of York Point garnered the reserve title with Black Beauty. The division for animals which are bred and owned by the exhibitor was won by Colby MacQuarrie of Milton with his Miltonvale Annie. The MacQuarrie entry was named grand champion over all entries in the conformation classes.
In the showmanship classes, Island participants proved they are among the best. In the senior division, Kaitlin McAloney was named champion. Patrick Holland of Montague was the reserve intermediate showman. The reserve showman in the junior division was Emily McKenna-Ayles. And in the pee wee showmanship class, Jake Matheson was the winner. In the final judging, Patrick Holland was named reserve overall showman with Kaitlin McAloney receiving honourable mentiion.