It’s the largest steer show in Canada, and Riley Chalack has been trying to win it for years. “This is probably my tenth year at Stampede. We’ve had a few Reserve Champions, but never a Grand Champion before,” says the young showman from Carstairs, AB. “I think it’s a big deal.”
The culmination of the regional steer show season, and the country’s richest steer show, the UFA Steer Classic brings members of the beef industry to the Stampede to promote and compete in everything from the merits of purebred genetics to the current trends in consumer beef demands.
The winning steer, sired by a Maine-Galloway cross bull from a Maine-Angus cow, also won the UFA Steer Classic Open class. Co-owned by Riley Chalack (son of Tim Chalack), Fairland Cattle Co., Logan Chalack, Royden Anderson and Flewelling Cattle Co., it weighed in at 1317 pounds.
“I’ve been showing cattle all my life,” says young Chalack. “We were feeling pretty good about it. We knew there would be a lot of good steers here. All these guys have been showing these steers all year long. Everybody’s aiming for this. From the first of August, they’re picking calves to bring to this show. We just come here to try our best and hope for the best.”
The Reserve Grand Champion animal and the champion in the Hereford class is co-owned by Nicona Brost, Fairland Cattle Co., Logan Chalack, Flewelling Cattle Co. and Deerview Meats. According to Blaine Brost of Irvine, AB, “I saw this calf when it was two or three months old and I said, ‘I think I’ve got something here.’ We just come to Stampede from time to time. Our main focus is raising purebred cattle and selling bulls to our commercial customers, not raising steers. This is our best result.”
The Junior Champion was owned by Grayden Kay of Lloydminster and Michael Jones. Other Champions were: Cody Lafrentz of Bienfait, SK in Angus; Kelsey Knott of Ardrossan in Red Angus; Jon Fox of Lloydminster in Charolais; Jake Rawluk of Moosehorn, MB in Hereford Influence; Ryley and Toby Noble of Lloydminster, SK in Limousin; Darrell Comazzetto of Knutsford, BC in Maine Anjou; Laurie Morasch of Bassano in Shorthorn; Matt Criddle of Balgonie, SK in Simmental and Jim Fox of Lloydminster, SK in Speckle Park.
Reserve Champions were: Megan Mcleod of Cochrane in Angus; Davis Schmidt of Watrous, SK in Red Angus; Taylor Giles of Cochrane in Charolais; Grady Conway of Innisfail in Hereford; Tanya Belsham of Houston, BC in Hereford Influence; Kathryn Dolliver of Stettler in Junior Steer; Ryley Gutzke of Weyburn, SK in Limousin; Les Watson of White Fox, SK in Maine Anjou; Wade Brokenshire of Estevan, SK in both Shorthorn and Simmental; Kyza Taylor of Warner in Speckle Park and Chance Jackson of Sedley, SK in the Open class.
The Stampede will be webcasting all events being held in the Big Top this year. Visit http://ag.calgarystampede.com/
Agrium Western Event Centre
Scheduled for completion before the 2014 10-day Stampede, the Agrium Western Event Centre is a state-of-the-art facility for western events and agriculture education, exhibition and industry in southern Alberta. Designed to form a lasting connection between urban and rural communities, it will host an engaging, globally-focused educational program called Journey 2050, and it will play a central role in making the Calgary Stampede a year-round gathering place. For more information visit http://corporate.
For more information, please contact:
Megan Gauley
Ag Media Committee Chair
E [email protected]
About the Calgary Stampede
As we enter our second century, the Calgary Stampede celebrates the people, the animals, the land, the traditions and the values that make up the unique spirit of the west. The Calgary Stampede contributes to the quality of life in Calgary and southern Alberta through our world-renowned 10-day Stampede, year-round facilities, western events and several youth and agriculture programs. Exemplifying the theme We’re Greatest Together; we are a volunteer-supported, not-for-profit community organization that preserves and promotes western heritage and values. All revenue is reinvested into Calgary Stampede programs and facilities.