11 minute read
The Last Chapter
A few people have asked me if the stories about Shorty, really happened to me. The only one that I will admit to is this last one, in that case I was both Shorty and the old man.
When I was Shorty, the old man showed up one day and talked about all the things that he had done on the ranch while he worked there. At that time, I wished I had been there then, when things were simpler and less hectic.
A couple of years ago, I returned to the ranch and witnessed what the ranch had become. It was different now and not in a good way. I realized that I had been
incredibly lucky to have been there and experienced what I had all those years ago.
We cannot go back in time, and often we do not appreciate what we have until it is gone.
Which brings me to this...I am retiring this fall.
It has been a sometimes frustrating, but always rewarding journey, but age is catching up.
I will start my thanks in chronological order. When we started the business, we made three phone calls. Those calls were to Brylor Ranch, Mountainview Farms and Six Mile Ranch. The support from those three operations was instant and overwhelming. Thank you to all of you.
I could not have started without the technical expertise and continuous support and friendship of Rhonda Peterson. She has been a huge support for all these years and remains a close friend, thank you Rhonda.
I would like to thank everyone that has used my services over the years, whether it was purchasing a photo or photographing animals every year. Many of you have let Lauralee and I into your homes to share a meal or a drink, and that act of kindness has not gone unnoticed. We have shared a laugh or two over lunches in the barn as well, and those are the things that I remember now as I write this. So, to everyone, especially those who helped us every year, thank you!
I would like to thank T bar C, both senior (sorry Ted) and current for all the support over the years. Ted and Mina were incredibly supportive when we started, and the advice he shared was much appreciated over the years. Chris and the current T bar C crew have supported as well, and a special thanks to Bryan Kostiuk. Bryan made space for me to tell my stories and, I hope, bring a smile to the odd person’s face. He and I have had many phone calls over the years, most of which started with “Hey ...have you got a story and a cover shot, the book goes to press in the morning!” Thanks Bryan! I wouldn’t change a thing.
I would like to thank Craig Scott. Craig stepped in when I needed help and became a good friend and a better partner. We have shared a lot of late nights, bad roads and a few bad golf games, so thanks Craig and family for all you have done.
The next person I want to write about is someone that none of you have ever met and yet her work has benefitted everyone. Amy Scott has been my photoshop worker for a long time, eight or nine years. She has worked on just about every photo that I have taken over that time and done an amazing job. I have only met her in person a few times, but I can say that she is one of the hardest working young people I know, and to most of everyone’s surprise, she knows nothing about cattle. Amy you are amazing, thank you for everything!
I want to thank Ty and Shania Dietrich for their help the last few years. You guys have made an enormous difference as well and all your work was very much appreciated.
I would like to thank Brian Good. Brian and I have spent a lot of time together over the years, on the road, at shows and just hanging out. I value his advice, his friendship and know that the Canadian Angus Association is not the same without him.
The last person I want to thank is Lauralee. She has been my travel agent, my bookkeeper,
my meal arranger, my psychologist, and the best damn attention getter in the country. She deserves far more than I can describe here.
She spent countless nights in hotel rooms, falling asleep in the wee hours of the morning, to the romantic glow of a computer screen while listening to a constant click of a computer mouse. The only interruption of that mouse would be a frustrated operator cussing, sometimes under his breath.
Cattle were never Lauralee’s thing, they were my thing. I grew up with them and am very comfortable around them. Lauralee’s family were and still are involved with horses. So, even though she would never admit it, she went to work every day, just a little bit scared.
She didn’t trust any of the cattle we worked with, but she did her job every day despite that fear. Without her ability to get the animal’s attention and then hold that attention, I was unable to take the photograph.
We have had some animated rides in a rental car after another particularly frustrating photo shoot, but we always understood that “what happens in the picture pen, stays in the picture pen.”
The best example illustrating our relationship happened a couple of years ago on a cold winter day doing bull pictures. The owner of the operation did a great job with the product and the bulls were generally quiet. I always watched the bulls in the alley as they entered the picture pen and would give Lauralee a warning if the animal was a little nervous. On this occasion the subject appeared to be a little nervous and I warned Lauralee in our code.
That meant be careful and she took the appropriate action. Lauralee always carried a harmonica and in the last few years has armed herself with a child’s toy umbrella, in this case a bright pink child’s umbrella.
She was able to get the bull’s attention and, with the help of noise from the harmonica, kept the attention while I got into position and took the photo. Once I was finished, I told Lauralee to “let him go”. I have done exactly that thousands of times over the years and never had an issue, until this time.
The sound of my voice alerted the bull to my presence and once he noticed my location, he took offence to both. He turned to me and took off towards me. As some of you know, my defense when I am trapped, is a quick offence. The bull was not impressed with my sudden movement towards him, and he knocked me down.
Usually, in my experience, once I am down the bull will leave you alone as he has accomplished all he wanted. In this case he decided to inflict further damage. I was laying on my side, attempting to protect several thousand dollars of camera equipment while the bull worked on driving my body into the ground.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of pink and watched a child’s umbrella being forcefully applied to the bull’s head. The beating was accompanied by the sound of Lauralee describing the bull, his parentage, and her perception of his ability to breed in loud and unflattering terms. The bull turned and fled.
I struggled to my feet and turned towards Lauralee. She was standing a few feet away, fumbling with what was left of her pink umbrella, as she watched the bull leave the pen. Once she was satisfied it was safe to do so, she turned towards me. She was visibly shaking; her face was covered in tears, and she looked up at me and said.
“Is your camera okay?” Now, some people might have been hurt by that question, I am sure most of you chuckled at that, but to me it made perfect sense. Both she and I knew that I could work hurt, but we could not work without a fully functioning camera. She understood what was important to me. Well, this is my opportunity to let everyone know that Lauralee is the most important part of my life. I know that I have missed thanking a lot of people, like Doug Henderson and Rob Holowaychuk, that were a part of the success of GRP Ltd, and I apologize to everyone for my short coming. We have missed a lot of birthdays, holidays, weddings, funerals, and family time over the years, and we need to start looking after some of those times before the opportunity is gone. I want everyone to know that this decision was the most difficult one that I have ever made, but it is time for Lauralee to live without the fear of getting run over by someone else’s bull. We are incredibly grateful to all of you. We wish health and prosperity to all of you, good luck in the future. Grant and Lauralee Rolston
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