Canadian Charolais Youth Association News

from August 2012 Charolais Banner

Keeping Track

CCYA NATIONAL BOARD charolaisyouth@gmail.com

President: Kirstin Sparrow kp.sparrow@hotmail.com Vice-President: Luke Marshall futureal@telusplanet.net Treasurer: Sarah Weinbender sarahbarah_8@hotmail.com Secretary: Tomina Jackson tomi_j_@hotmail.com Director: Michael Hunter mike_hunter40@hotmail.com Director: Travis Jozwiak jozwiak@telus.net Director: Holly Smith holly27smith@gmail.com Director: Courtney Black blackbern@hotmail.com

CCYA 2013 Conference Executive

Co-ordinator: Billie Jo Saunders

CCYA Provincial Presidents

AB: Russell Gallelli 403-804-7442 MB: Haylan Jackson 204-564-2547 ON: Candace Alexander 519-353-5029 SK: Brandon Sparrow 306-292-9820

CCYA Provincial Advisors

SK: Darwin Rosso 306-693-2384 ON: Brad Buchanan 705-534-0137 MB: Donna Jackson 204-564-2547 AB: Kasey & Arlana Phillips 780-358-2359 Youth Coordinator: Brandon Sparrow b.sparrow265@gmail.com

The CCYA Experience

Kirstin Sparrow, President

I am your newly elected National Board President for the year 2012-13. I have been involved with CCYA for ten years. I live on our family farm at Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, as well as in Saskatoon during the school year. I am entering into my second year at SIAST in Saskatoon, where I am working towards a degree as a Registered Nurse. I am excited to have this opportunity to be President of the National Board, and look forward to the year to come.

This summer the National Board has welcomed some new faces to our team, as well as said goodbye to some great ones. Luke Marshall is our new Vice President, Sarah Weinbender is now Treasurer and Tomina Jackson is Secretary. We welcome Courtney Black and Holly Smith to the board, sitting as Ontario Directors. We are excited to announce that Brandon Sparrow will be our new Youth Coordinator, taking over the position from Katrina Coughlin.

I was not able to attend this summer’s CCYA Conference and Show in Olds, Alberta, but I have heard nothing but great things about it. As always, there were a lot of new friends and memories made! On behalf of the National Board I would like to thank and congratulate the 2012 Conference Executive for a job well done. Organizing a conference like ours is a huge, yet rewarding task. Thank you for all of your hard work! Watch for coverage from the conference and show in the October Charolais Banner.

The reason I was not able to attend the conference in Olds this summer was becauseI won an International Agriculture Youth Exchange through Canadian 4-H to Jamaica. I travelled to Jamaica, along with five other delegates from across Canada, for four weeks. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I am so thankful for the experience.

We travelled to different Parish’s throughout Jamaica, experiencing the culture and the way of life of Jamaicans. I stayed at host families and was involved directly with Agriculture across their country. Because of the climate and various other factors in Jamaica, agriculture is less apparent than in more developed countries.

I was fortunate enough to be in the region of Jamaica with the most sugar cane production, which was very interesting. Sugar is Jamaica’s largest agriculture export, also used for the production of molasses and rum. I tasted every fruit tree imaginable, and I am already missing the fresh fruit. My favorites were the mangos and pineapple. Jamaica exports coconuts, citrus fruits, ginger, yams and tobacco, to name a few. Jamaica is a major producer of marijuana, which, however, remains illegal.

As for animals, I was surprised to see goats wandering the roads and cows in

short supply among the countryside. We visited many 4-H centers that own the animals for the 4-H members. Due to expense and limited facilities, 4-H members that are in projects with animals have to travel to the 4-H farms to work on their projects. Examples of the projects we saw are Apiculture, Pig Rearing, Poultry Care & Management, and Goat & Rabbit Revolving. Cattle are not found on every farm in Jamaica and are only found in herds of five to ten. Beef is mostly imported, and dairy cattle are more popular.

We also got to take in some tourist activities as well, such as resorts and beaches. I recommend any youth able to apply for an International Agriculture Exchange such as the one I had; it was an experience of a lifetime.

Stayed tuned for more updates from your National Board, and remember to check out our website at youth.charolais.com for information.