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April 17, 2012

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Cattle Country 2012

LIZ TWAN PHOTO


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Cattle Country 2012

Cattle

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B.C. invests in the future of ranching Don McRae Minister of Agriculture B.C.’s high-quality, trusted food products are an integral part of British Columbian families’ daily meals and nutrition, but they are also a key component of our economy. As part of the B.C. Jobs Plan in March, I unveiled the B.C. Agrifoods Strategy to ensure food production continues to grow in our province, and support valuable jobs and healthy communities in the Cariboo and across B.C. The Agrifoods Strategy has a goal to expand mar-

kets for our internationally respected foods. B.C.’s reputation of food excellence creates a huge opportunity to increase the $2.5 billion worth of agrifoods we already export to 140 countries each year. To further this goal we continue to partner with the federal government to find new overseas markets for B.C. products that bring new dollars to B.C. businesses, farmers and ranchers. We are building on the success of the 2010 and 2011 trade missions to Asia in which government stood side by side with B.C. ranchers to promote B.C.

Don McRae beef to a market with more than 1.5 billion potential customers. B.C.-raised beef and products such as tallow can now be sold in China and South Korea, and may soon have increased access to Japan. As producers of about 20 per cent of B.C.’s

cattle, that is good news for ranchers in the CaribooChilcotin. We are also working with the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association to build the demand for B.C. beef domestically. Just this February we announced funding to help the association develop education programs for British Columbians to learn about beef — why it’s good for healthy meals and a healthy economy. Furthermore we recently extended the Cattle Industry Development Fund into perpetuity, ensuring the promotion of B.C. beef will continue indefinitely. Government and ranch-

ers have a strong relationship in B.C., and that is something we will be celebrating at the third annual B.C. Beef Day at the legislature this spring. We will again stand together to promote the flavours and value of B.C. beef. The province is also providing support for B.C. ranchers through the Canada-B.C. Ranching Task Force Funding Initiative, including consumer education and developing the B.C. beef value chain. The province has long been an advocate for B.C. beef and B.C. ranchers. In fact, along with our federal partners, we’ve provided more than $200 million

to cattle ranchers over the past decade. Our support of B.C. ranchers is one example of what we’re doing to encourage employment growth in the 61,300-strong agrifoods sector. Over the next five years the B.C. Agrifoods Strategy and the B.C. Jobs Plan will develop and expand our domestic and international markets and lead our agrifoods sector to multi-billion dollar growth. Our goal is to build into a $14-billion-ayear industry by 2017. I invite all British Columbians to read and comment on the Agrifoods Strategy at www.B.C.JobsPlan.ca.

What are you planting? Finally spring is on its way and it’s only a matter of time before you will be taking that much anticipated trip to the garden centre to make your gardens vibrant again. Before you take that trip the Cariboo Regional District asks that you stop and plan what you are going to plant. With so many different ornamentals to choose from, there is much potential for a new garden escapee which can cause a much larger impact on the environment than one might think. You should choose plants that are best suited to your lifestyle since some are easier to grow than others and the plant you choose should reflect the time you want to spend on maintenance. When

planning your garden, you should also make sure you do not purchase alien invasive plants. An invasive plant is a plant not native to British Columbia, Canada or North America for that matter and has the potential to pose undesirable or detrimental impacts to humans, animals and ecosystems. Invasive plants have the ability to establish quickly and easily on disturbed or un-disturbed sites, and cause widespread economic, social and environmental impacts. At this time there are vendors in the horticultural industry that are selling and distributing provincially and/or regionally legislated invasive seeds and plants, which leaves it up to the consumer to educate

themselves about invasive plants. These plants have been designated as noxious/invasive as a result of their documented abilities to out compete native vegetation, causing a reduction in plant diversity, reducing habitat quality and quantity for wildlife, livestock and aquatic species; affecting water quality and quantity and soil quality; and affecting forage and crop production. So before you buy your garden plants ask yourself: 1) Does this plant have the potential to be invasive? 2) If I order a plant from outside of the province could it be invasive in my area? 3) Instead of planting a potential invasive plant is

HERE FOR THE CATTLE PRODUCERS OF THE CARIBOO CHILCOTIN Proud to be a part of ‘Cattle Country 2012’

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there an alternate that I can plant instead? So please take care when choosing your next garden plant because it could turn

out to be the next chaotic exotic. And remember to report any new invasive plant infestations to the CRD at 250-392-3351 or

toll free, 1-800-665-1636 or visit www.cariboord. bc.ca to see what plants are noxious and invasive to our region.

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Cattle Country 2012

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Cattle

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Obtaining organic status took time and study Monica Lamb-Yorski Cattle Country 2012 Looking over the fence near one of his barns on the Big Bear Ranch in Horsefly, organic rancher Rainer Krumsiek says the ranch’s motto is to work with nature. Originally from Germany, Rainer, a landscape architect, and his wife Gigi purchased the ranch in 1993. Through studying, trial, and adapting, theirs became a certified organic operation in 2004. When they began back in 1993 they were new at ranching. “I’d never owned a cow before,” Rainer recalls. They soon discovered one of the norms in the region was to birth calves in February. “I had to help pull five

or six out the first year because the bull we had used was too big,” Rainer says. A year later, they had a hundred heifers calving, and from those, had to pull 25 calves because they were too big. “Now we use a Galloway bull — that’s a bull with a low birth weight. The calves are small. They are 65 pounds. A bison calf is also 65 pounds, and nobody helps a bison calf.” They’ve also switched to calving in June. It saves money because they are not paying to heat a barn if it’s – 50 degrees when the calves are born, and not paying huge amounts for feed. “Winter calves are always bigger than summer calves. It’s probably mother nature’s way to protect them a little

Monica Lamb-Yorski photo

Raised organically, cows belonging to Rainer and Gigi Krumsieks of Horsefly, are kept in close range.

against the cold, I don’t know,” he says shaking his head. When they calve there is also more room because the snow is gone so that every cow can look for a place to give birth. “They know better

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than we do where there’s a place that’s clean and not contaminated,” Rainer explains. The Krumsieks are raising Herefords, Red Angus, Galloway, and crosses of those breeds. In the winter months

they graze in a wooded area protected by a single line electric fence. Pointing out the different breeds, Rainer says some of them are smaller and have longer coats, such as the Galloways which have wool and

hair. “I wanted to use Galloway bulls right away, but the cattle board told me I’d never sell the cows for a good price because nobody wants to buy the wool,” Rainer says.

Continued Page 4

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Grass finishing with mobile fences

From Page 3 In 2004, when the couple decided to dive into direct marketing with a butcher, they also determined they could use Galloways if they wanted. “The problem is you want them finished when you butcher them, which means they have a fat cover. You don’t sell the fat, but the fat helps dry age the meat,” Rainer explains, adding Galloways develop fat sooner than say a Red Angus because they aren’t as big. If the mother is 1,400 pounds, for instance, the male offspring has to have 1,500 pounds before it’s finished. And because they finish sooner, the cow can be butchered in the second year. Pointing to one of the cows in his herd Rainer points out a black one and emphasizes how it has a huge body compared to its short legs. “That’s because they are processing forage, not grain. Look, there’s two that are mother and daughter. “The ones with the brown and white. We call her the whale cow because she is so huge,” Rainer says, laughing and adding they have as many as four or five generations of cows. They really stick together like a family, he adds. Rainer has been researching the possibility of letting the calves nurse as long as they want. “Normally in nature the mother stops letting them suck when the next one comes along so I’m thinking about letting them do that,” he says. The cows are also grass finished and graze on a parcel of land where Rainer has installed a long, moveable fence. The cows will graze on a long strip and the next day, the fence is

Monica Lamb-Yorski photos

Gigi and Rainer Krumsiek find that organic ranching is not only about not doing something, it’s about a totally different way of life.

moved 10 or 20 metres, depending on the size of the group, and they begin grazing there. Each day the process is repeated so the cows can’t go back and graze on the piece of land they grazed on the day before. There are also tested, piped waterlines installed nearby. “In June when it’s moist and warm, the grass grows this much,” he says, indicating a couple of inches with his thumb and forefinger. The cows would love to eat that new grass, but that really weakens the plants, he says. “It means we have high-quality forage until the very end until they are butchered. That’s what’s meant by grass finished.” Rainer says he and Gigi have attended seminars over the years and vigorously read two different magazines devoted to sustainable ag-

riculture and good grazing management. “It’s taking on more and more here now too. Just a few days ago there was a seminar in town,” Rainer says. The Krumsieks embarked on organic farming in 1999, the last year they used commercial fertilizer. When it comes to organic, there are questions consumers need to ask producers, the couple says. If producers are spraying chemicals on the pastures to eradicate thistles, using fertilizers on fields, or applying Ivomec to fight off parasites, those methods have nothing to do with being organic. Some people think if they aren’t using hormones or antibiotics they are organic. Rainer, however, suggests it’s not only about not doing something, it’s about a totally different way of life.

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Cattle Country 2012

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Take the beef on beef with a grain of salt Gaeil Farrar Tribune Staff Writer When you hear news reports on the latest research indicating that beef is unhealthy, take it with a grain of salt. The news report doesn’t usually tell the whole story. New research being done right here in the Cariboo indicates that beef is not only a great source of protein, but also a good source of the essential omega 3, 6 and 9 (oleic) fatty acids. “Both grain and grass finished beef can be healthy but for different reasons,” says John Church, Thompson Rivers University assistant professor who is leading the research. “What we are finding is that grass-finished beef has less fat than grain-finished beef but both have healthy qualities.” Grass-finished beef is higher in the essential omega 3 fatty acids which

are important because they cannot be produced in the body and must be found in the foods we eat. He says grain-finished beef is higher in oleic acid, monounsaturated fats that are the good cholesterolbusting fats found in olive oil and other vegetable oils. Church has been researching health aspects of grain-finished beef versus grass-finished beef and published his introduction to the work recently in the March edition of Beef in B.C., by the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association. In the Cariboo ranchers have traditionally sold their beef cattle at auction to be finished in feed lots in Alberta where they are typically finished on grain rations of oats, wheat, and barley. Many B.C. ranchers today are also trying to finish more of their animals on

fresh grass right at home where they are raised on range grass and in pastures planted with various varieties of forage. The new trend toward grass finishing beef is the result of a growing demand from the public for products produced more naturally closer to home and for a leaner beef product. Church says the key in the fatty acid study is the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. He says both grain-finished and grass-finished beef have favourable ratios of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. The optimum ratio is four omega 6 to one omega 3 or less. He says grass-finished beef has a ratio of two omega 6 to one omega 3, which is very similar to the omega fatty acid found in salmon which is considered to be the top source of omega fatty acids.

The absolute amount of omega 3 in grass-fed beef is 100 milligrams per serving while the absolute amount of omega 3 in salmon is 1,000 milligrams per serving. The research also indicates that grain-finished beef is higher in oleic acid, which is the mono-unsaturated fat found in olive oil and other products which

have the effect of lowering cholesterol. Typically, he says, grainfinished beef is finished with oats, wheat and barley grains, but some corn is used in the feeding mix in the south Okanagan. Church says the next phase of his research will be to do more detailed research on the quality of grass or forage animals are

being finished on in different areas of the province. He says studies on healthy and unhealthy fats usually point to the detrimental health effects of eating too much processed meats such as wieners, bacon, and high-fat hamburger. But eating unprocessed beef is still a good source of all the right stuff.

Ranchers study grass finishing at TRU

Jim Lintott of Manitoba Grass Fed Beef leads a workshop at Thompson Rivers University.

Gaeil Farrar photos

Among local ranchers attending a recent workshop on grass finishing beef were Barry Redl (left), Travis Redl, Jenny and Cuyler Huffman, Grant Huffman and Sharon Huffman.

CARIBOO REGIONAL DISTRICT - INVASIVE PLANTS

Within our region, infesting healthy grass, forest and ecosystems. They threaten native vegetation, wildlife, livestock, aquatic species, and affect water and soil quality. Prevention is critical, once established, control of invasive plants is difficult, costly and eradication is often impossible.

Learn to identify invasive plants and what you can do to STOP THE SPREAD! For more information or to view photos of invasive plant species in our region, please visit our website.

Report Weeds - 1-800-665-1636 Suite D, 180 North 3rd Avenue, Williams Lake 250-392-3351 www.cariboord.bc.ca


Cattle Country 2012

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Bull Show and Sale celebrates 75 years

Strong bull sales are expected to make the 75th annual Williams Lake Bull Show and Sale a hit. Pam Abrahamse, secretary for the Williams Lake Bull Sale Association, who also works for the B.C. Livestock Producers Co-op, says there are 148 bulls entered this year from 43 contributors at the annual show and sale that takes place Thursday and Friday at the BC Livestock Producers Stockyards. The bull breeds this year are Simmental, Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn,

Charolais, Limousin, and Gelbvieh. Darrell Comazzetto from Kamloops, B.C. will be the judge and Wilf Smith, manager of BC Livestock, Williams Lake Stockyards, will open the show at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 19. Haltered bulls are shown in the ring in age and breed classes and are judged during the show. The bulls that score high marks from judges will be awarded trophies before they are then sold the next day at the sale.

“The Stampede Queen, Davana Mahon and Princesses Bobi Bracewell and Alexia Colton will be here on show day presenting ribbons and trophies, and to help with the festivities,” says Abrahamse. “Everyone is welcome to come and watch the show and attend the sale as it is very interesting.” There will also be a pen show taking place before the regular show, and a large outside agriculture display with Cariboo GM hosting a tasty lunch at its booth.

The sale is one of the biggest in B.C. agriculture. Every year about 700 catalogues with bull listings are printed and distributed through the mail or at the Williams Lake Stockyards, where the show and sale takes place. The bull listings are also available online at www. bclivestock.bc.ca for buyers to look at before the sale. While much of the sale will be strictly business, there will also be time for sellers to meet and greet each other in a fun, relaxed

atmosphere at the sale’s social, which will be held at the Williams Lake Curling Club at 7 p.m. Thursday night. The social includes a dinner and drinks and is a great way for the buyers, sellers and the social’s organizers and sponsors to meet and network and have a little fun before they get down to business. Tickets for the social are free and available at the door. This year there will be four groups of commercial heifers to kick off the sale.

The sale Friday, April 20 will be at 11 a.m. with auctioneers Larry Jordan, Wilf Smith, Wayne Jordan and Alan Smith. The buyers and sellers social evening is hosted by the Williams Lake Bull Sale Association and is funded by many generous sponsors. Georgio’s Catering is once again providing a wonderful beef on a bun buffet. For more information contact Pam Abrahamse at 250-296-4744 or visit www.bclivestock.bc.ca.

Twenty-two years and running for Indoor Rodeo

The 22nd Annual Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo will once again ride into the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex April 20-22. For each day, the Coast Mountain Thunder Drill team and the Williams

Lake Stampede Royalty will start the grand entry. Local cowboys Doug White and grandson Brock Everett will sing classic country songs while cowboy poet Bruce Rolph will spin his tales. This year the indoor

rodeo will feature Dennis Halstead, Rodeo Clown and barrel man from Alberta. And, for the sixth year, Brett Gardiner, 2011 Canadian Pro Rodeo Announcer of the Year, will host the rodeo. At Sunday’s intermis-

sion at 1 p.m. Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees will make presentations, outing a little of their history. Rodeo events kick off on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by live band Third Degree in rink two. Sat-

urday and Sunday the rodeo gets underway at 1 p.m. Local and out-of-town vendors will be at the rodeo, selling all sorts of cowboy gear. Tickets for the indoor rodeo and barn dance, which goes Satur-

day, April 21 at 9 p.m. with music by Mosquito Creek, are available at the rodeo office on the upper level of Boitanio Mall. For more information contact the office at 250398-3334.

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Indoor plumbing ranks over electricity any day

Diana French Cattle Country 2012

On winter mornings, when the temperature drops to double digit “below zeros,” Mary Knoll looks over the city from her home on Terra Ridge and is glad she doesn’t have to bundle up and head for the chicken house. Feeding the chickens was one of her jobs in 50plus years when she and her husband Ollie operated the Chezacut Ranch. Mary was born and raised in the Chilcotin, but in larger communities. Chezacut is off the beaten track, 30 miles northwest of Redstone. When Mary went there as a young bride in 1943, Chezacut was three ranches and a trading post. The Chilcotin Road wasn’t much at the time, but the dirt road from Redstone was always impass-

able in spring, sometimes in winter, and anytime it rained. Travellers were in for a long walk if their vehicle broke down or got stuck. Mary’s first home was an elderly duplex affair beside the Chilcotin River. Two log cabins were attached by a breezeway, with the kitchen in one cabin, bedrooms and living room in the other. This was not a comfortable arrangement when winter temperatures dipped to – 40C for days on end as they did then. Everything was done by hand, fine for two people, but in August and September, Mary cooked for a hay crew of at least a dozen men. By 1946 the Knolls had a new six-bedroom house across the river. They had electricity provided by a hand-cranked dieselpowered plant, but no indoor plumbing. Recalling

Mary Knoll years of dealing with water buckets, Mary ranks inside plumbing ahead of electricity any day. Ollie and brothers Max and Alfred had bought the ranch from their parents. After Max died in an accident, Ollie bought Alfred’s share. Mary was one of the few Chilcotin women at the time to have her own brand and cattle. She says they spent years making payments, but gradually built the ranch up and

when it was sold in 2007, it was one of the largest in the Chilcotin. Chezacut had no telephone service, so visitors were always unexpected. In earlier days, few women drove vehicles, and when neighbours did get together, the visits could last until sun-up. Mary was always prepared to provide food and lodging for “outside’ visitors. Some, like hunters in the fall, stayed for days. Chezacut Ranch usually had hired help, and in haying season Mary had help too, but some chores, like laundry, took all day. Ranches were self-sufficient, but labour intensive. The Knolls always had chickens and a milk cow. Mary looked after the chickens and the cow when there was no one else to do it. She had a garden (although at 4,000 feet elevation, Chezacut wasn’t great growing country) and

a root cellar, but by the end of spring, supplies could get skimpy. “We kept huge amounts of flour and sugar,” Mary says, and she did a lot of baking, but oddly enough for a cattle ranch, meat could be a problem. With no refrigeration there was no way to keep it. In winter, a beef carcase hung in an outside meat house stayed frozen, and the cook or one of the men whittled chunks off it. There was no such thing as steak. Wood stoves can’t be cranked up, so fried meat was kind of stewed. The Knolls kept a few sheep, and there were fish if anyone had time to catch them. Mary preserved meat (in jars, unheard of now) but if she had to, she could make a decent meal out of Spam and sprouted potatoes (sauces were the secret). Frank Shillaker’s trading

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post carried the basics, but Mary kept a seemingly inexhaustible supply of odds and ends. She says she tried to buy three of everything, from shoelaces to cough medicine. Chezacut residents were on their own when it came to health care so a well- stocked medicine cabinet was a must. By 1950 there were enough children for a school. The Knolls had four daughters, and when they were school age, Mary drove them three miles to the one-roomed schoolhouse. Later they rode saddle horse or went by sleigh or wagon. Mary was alone with the children a fair bit when the men were rounding up or on cattle drives. Ollie had taken the girls back to school just after New Year’s when she had her worst experience. Continued on Page 10

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Familiar faces move to new places Liz Twan Cattle Country 2012 In recent months there have been some noteworthy personnel retirements, movements and additions that have altered the face of local agri-business. The old familiar face that ranchers expect to see when they go to do business this spring may not, in fact, be there to greet them. OII (Ownership Identification Incorporated) the BC livestock industry/ brand inspection service underwent big changes at the conclusion of 2011 beginning with the retirement of Jon Herrick (OII / regional supervisor /Cariboo region) and then, just a short while prior to Jon’s official retirement date of Dec. 31, 2011 another long-time brand inspector also handed in his resignation-notice. In doing so, Owen Thomas ended an 11-year career with OII, leaving for a management position at 153 Mile Fertilizer Sales Ltd. (Oka-

nagan Fertilizer) which was available in the wake of the retirement of its long-time manager, Bob Bifford. So, while those in agri-business won’t be seeing Owen at the brand shack anymore, they will get a chance to catchup and visit with him when they go to 153 Mile Fertilizer (maybe expecting Bob to greet them) as they stock up on, or order fencing supplies, fertilizer or seed for their operation. Owen started full-time work there, late in November 2011 after leaving OII and also giving notice from his position as the Quality Seeds West sales representative for the Cariboo after about eight years with that company. It was the lure of a fulltime job that led to the change and Owen is enjoying the work and the new challenge. You can call Owen at 250-392-5333. Thomas has deep roots in the Cariboo. His mother Paddy was raised on the Alkali Lake Ranch and Owen

Liz Twan photo

Owen Thomas (right) speaking at Jon Herrick’s (left) retirement party (from OII) at the Williams Lake stockyards in December 2011. Both men were leaving the brand inspection service, Jon after 30-plus years, Owen had served for 11 years.

spent many a childhoodday there along with the rest of his family; father Fred (WL Stampede president) and younger brother, Brad. Owen now resides at Frost Creek with his wife, Dee and sons, Colton (14) and Grady (10). Both boys are avid hockey players as was Owen), so in his spare time Owen is a valued parent-volunteer and coach within the Wil-

Machines replace horses

From Page 9 Her sister and brotherin-law were visiting when he had a heart attack and died. The two women had to drive to neighbour Randolph Mulvahill’s ranch for help, and he drove to Redstone to phone. When Mr. Shillaker retired, Ollie started a store on the ranch to fill the gap. Mary didn’t buy furs, but she often filled in as store-

keeper. That didn’t work well on laundry or breadbaking days. Most of the customers were First Nations and the elders made a day of shopping trips, buying one thing at a time. Mary helped them fill out documents and put in orders to Eaton’s catalogue. In the 1960s, machines replaced horses, and there were no more big hay crews to feed. Later Ollie installed

hydro-powered electricity and later a gravity-fed water system, and the ranch had a radio phone and satellite TV. Logging in the area brought all-weather roads and the return trip to Williams Lake could be made in a day and life was much easier. Mary and Ollie retired in 1997 and moved to Williams Lake. Ollie was in poor health and passed away in 1999.

liams Lake Minor Hockey Association. Owen’s career move left a vacancy in two positions, one as a brand inspector (two vacancies/including Jon) and the second with Quality Seeds West which necessitates the introduction of two additional familiar faces who have changed

places to some extent. Duncan Barnett has taken on the Quality Seeds West Technical Sales Representative position, adding that to his regular day job as a rancher and custom forage-harvester, in addition to his position as president of the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association and a host of other responsibilities. Duncan, his wife Jane and three (adult) daughters reside in the Rose Lake/Miocene area, operating a small ranch. Duncan has a degree in Agricultural Economics; he is a Professional Agrologist with 30-plus years of experience in the ranching industry. In recent years an involvement with the Invasive Plant Council of BC has resulted in his becoming ever more interested in soil health and forage quality and Duncan notes that his new position with Quality Seeds West will

provide him with an ideal opportunity to pursue those interests further, while also allowing him to supplement the ranch income. He is pleased to be associated with a company of such longevity in agri-business, with a good reputation for quality and service. Duncan will be working from his home; his sales-territory encompasses the Cariboo-Chilcotin/ Highway 97 corridor from Cache Creek/Lillooet in the south to Prince George in the north with a customerbase that includes; farmers, ranchers, forestry, mining, municipalities, school boards and others to which he can offer; forage, reclamation and turf seed (bag lot and blended) along with fertilizers and other related products. You can reach him by phone at: 250-2960023 or by email duncan@ qualityseedswest.ca Continued Page 11

Good Fences Make Good Neighbours! Range Fencing Game Fencing Farm & Ranch Electric Fencing Post & Rail Corral Systems

RANCHING RODEO MUSEUM

Home of the BC COWBOY HALL OF FAME and featuring the history of Williams Lake BC’s original Cowtown!

Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin OPEN YEAR ROUND

Located downtown Williams Lake At the corner of 4th & Borland 250-392-7404 www.cowboy-museum.com • email: mccwl@uniserve.com

All Your Farm & Ranch Needs! Free Quotes 250-296-3318 • 250-302-2814 (cell) kiwifencing@live.com

KIWI FENCING kiwifencing@live.com • Box 692, 150 Mile House


Cattle Country 2012

Page 11

Cattle Country

Cariboo Memorial Complex

April 20 th, 21st & 22nd

Brand inspector changing

From Page 10 That brings us back to the OII vacancies – who do you call now, when you need a brand inspector? Fred Stafford of Chimney Lake is your man! He comes from a longtime, well-known Cariboo ranching family who have owned and operated cattle ranches in the Springhouse, Chimney Lake and Chimney Creek/Pablo Creek areas since the first Stafford man (George) took up land on Springhouse Prairie in 1916. Fred was raised on a cattle operation and brought up in a family of avid 4-H participants. His experience with cattle and other livestock was garnered first-hand. Fred resides near Chimney Lake with his wife, Elaine (a teacher) and three children; Amy (17), Ian (15) and Allan (12). He can be reached by telephone at home, 250-

Duncan Barnett 392-7879. Fred applied for the position after he was informed about the openings and was pleased to be hired; an advantage of his life-long Cariboo residency is that he’ll likely already know how to travel to your home-ranch location without too detailed an explanation. Bob Miller, the pro-

vincial manager for OII had this to say about Owen (Thomas) and Fred (Stafford) when he spoke at the December retirementparty for Jon Herrick. “Owen has been a very good brand inspector for us in the Cariboo area and we hate to lose him. But, unfortunately the job is only part-time for all of our people these days and we cannot expect, nor would we interfere with Owen pursuing full-time employment when such a career opportunity as has been offered to him. Everyone at OII wishes him well. As a replacement, to-date, OII has employed Fred Stafford, a lifelong resident of the area with knowledge of livestock and the local area. He is one of, in all likelihood, two people we will eventually hire to replace Jon and Owen in the vacated positions.”

22 Years and Still Running Hard

Opening Act Features West Coast Thunder Drill Team Williams Lake Stampede Royalty Different Local Entertainers Each Day: Brock Everett • Doug White • Bruce Rolph Rodeo Entertainer and Barrel Man: Dennis Halstead

Friday - 6:00 pm Rodeo After Rodeo Entertainment Live Band Third Degree - Rink #2 No Cover Charge. No Minors

Saturday - 1:00 pm Rodeo Introduction of 2012 Williams Lake Stampede Contestants during Intermission Rodeo Slack - 9:00 am

Sunday - 1:00 pm Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction during Intermission

Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast - Rink #2 Saturday, April 21st and Sunday, April 22nd • 8:00 am to 10:00 am

Barn Dance

(brought to you by Cariboo Chevrolet)

Cariboo Memorial Complex Rink #2 Saturday, April 21st - 9:00 pm Music by Mosquito Creek Buy early, as tickets sell out fast! st! NO MINORS PLEASE

BIGGER. BADDER. BETTER. New 200 Series Super Boom skid steer loaders have been redesigned from the ground up. They’re BIGGER, with the longest wheelbase in the business and widest, most comfortable cab on the market. They’re BADDER, with increased performance and they’re BETTER, with improved visibility to critical areas, allowing operators to work with a new level of confidence and speed. ®

THE BEST STABILITY – MAXIMUM OPERATOR CONFIDENCE INCREASED BREAKOUT FORCE – PULL LOADS FROM THE PILE FASTER THE BEST DUMP HEIGHT & REACH – DUMP TO THE CENTER OF TRUCKS AND SPREADERS THE BEST SERVICEABILITY – MINIMIZE DOWNTIME

GRASSLAND

EQUIPMENT Ltd.

208 N. Broadway, Williams Lake 250-392-4024 2198 Northside Rd, Vanderhoof 250-567-4446

Indoor & Outdoor Vendors The Rodeo office is now open and located on the upper level of Boitanio Mall. For more information 250-398-3334. Providing Rodeo Tickets, Raffle Tickets, Merchandise and Barn Dance Tickets!

Rodeo Stock

provided by

C+Rodeo

TEAM SPONSORS:

Cariboo Advisor • Bank of Nova Scotia Gibraltar Mine • Lake Excavating Ltd. • Gustafson’s Grassland Equipment Ltd. • WL Loghaulers Assoc. Williams Lake Tribune • CanWest Petroleum ReMax Williams Lake Realty • RL7 Mechanical Ltd. Finning • Cariboo Spurs Apparel & Tack • Tim Hortons Signal Point Gaming • The Rush & The Wolf Radio Station

www.wlindoorrodeo.com

Wild Horse Race sponsored by

Mount Polley CHUTE SPONSORS: SPONSORS

Lavender Lingerie • Molson/Coors 150 Mile Liquor Store & Market Place Cariboo Team Realty HUB Int’l Barton Insurance Cariboo Spring Service SMS Equipment Signal Point Gaming


Page 12

Cattle Country 2012

LAST

2011’s ON THE LOT

2011 Diesel No Bull Sale 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Ext. Cab WAS $62,784

No Bull Sale Special

11T143

2011 Chev Silverado Ext. Cab WAS $62,770

No Bull Sale Special

s $URAMAX $IESEL

48,784

0 3"

s $URAMAX $IESEL

48,562

11T207

2011 GMC Sierra 3500 Reg. Cab WAS 61,175 $

No Bull Sale Special

11T212

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 WAS $68,040

No Bull Sale Special

s $URAMAX $IESEL s $EMO

0 3"

s $URAMAX $IESEL

0 3"

47,169

0 3"

52,619

11T176

250-392-7185

1-800-665-2409 CARIBOO CHEVROLET BUICK GMC LTD.

DL#5683

370 S. Mackenzie


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