From the CCA General Manager

CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION

2320 - 41st Avenue N.E. Calgary, AB T2E 6W8 Phone: (403) 250-9242 Fax: (403) 291-9324 E-Mail: cca@charolais.com Home Page: www.charolais.com

PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES: ALBERTA

President: Lyle Bignell, Stettler Secretary: Lisa Paget, Carbon

SASKATCHEWAN

President: Orland Walker, Hudson Bay Secretary: Dave Blechinger, Rosetown

MANITOBA

President: Harry Airey, Rivers Secretary: Rae Trimble Portage la Prairie

ONTARIO

President: Brian Coughlin, Cobden Secretary: Doris Aitken, Mount Forest

QUEBEC

President: Francois Couture, Notre-Damedu-Bon-Conseil Secretary: Laurent Jourdain

MARITIMES

President: Ricky Milton, Cornwall, PE Secretary: Jennifer MacDonald, St. Mary’s, Kent Co., NB

STAFF:

General Manager: NEIL GILLIES Registry: JUDY CUMMER French Liaison: CYNTHIA BECK 306-436-2007 CBeck@charolais.com

EXECUTIVE:

PRESIDENT: WADE BECK Box 5, Lang, SK S0G 2W0 Ph (306) 436-4564 email: wcbeck@sasktel.net

1st VICE-PRESIDENT: BRENTSAUNDERS RR 3, Markdale, ON N0C 1H0 (519) 986-4165 Fax (519) 986-4273 email: saunders@bmts.com

2nd VICE-PRES: CAMPBELL FORSYTH Box 3, Eriksdale, MB R0C 0W0 (204) 739-2678 Fax (204) 739-5547 email: cmforsyt@mts.net PAST PRESIDENT: LYLE BIGNELL Box 1055, Stettler, AB T0C 2L0 (403) 742-6792 Fax (403) 742-8128 email: lylebignell@hotmail.com

DIRECTORS: BERNARD BEGIN

1630 Rg St-Martin, Ste-Marie, PQ G6E 3A8 (418) 387-7514 Fax (418) 387-5623 email: louberfarm@hotmail.com

BRIAN COUGHLIN

RR3 1012 Snake River Line, Cobden, ON K0J 1K0 (613) 646-9741 (613) 312-0270 email: cornervu@nrtco.net

URSULA CORPATAUX

Box 397, Erskine, AB T0C 1G0 Ph/Fax (403) 742-3337 ucorpataux@xplornet.com

DORY GERRARD

RR 2, Innisfail, AB T4G 1T7 (403) 227-5632 Fax (403) 227-2583 email: info@gerrardcattlecompany.com

JOHN WILGENBUSCH

Box 4, Halbrite, SK S0C 1H0 (306) 458-2688 Fax (306) 458-2371 email: wilgenbusch@sasktel.net

RICKY MILTON

4558 Rt. 19 RR 2, Cornwall, PE C0A 1H0 (902) 393-8699 email: rmilton@upei.ca

New Opportunities, Strong Markets, World Tour in 2012

Neil Gillies, General Manager, Canadian Charolais Association

The upturn in the North American beef market is cause for celebration for all segments of the industry. And with most predictions indicating that the rebuilding of the National cowherd is going to take a significant period of time, this would signify that prices for all classes of cattle should remain bullish for some time.

Speaking of bullish; that is exactly what the expectations are for Charolais bull sales this spring. The principles of supply and demand would indicate that the competition for Charolais bulls is going to be very robust in the next few months.

As was mentioned in the February 2012 Charolais Connection an added preChristmas gift for the breed was a contract for 310 2011 born Charolais purebred animals to Kazakhstan. A story outlining that event is featured in this edition of the Banner and I suggest that you take a few minutes with a cup of coffee and give it a read.

On the subject of the February edition of the Charolais Connection, Candace By did a nice job with the feature profile on Hicken Ranch, of Raymond, Alberta. In the past two years I have taken the opportunity to attend the Hicken Ranch’s Charolais sired commercial cattle sale at the Perlich Auction Market in Lethbridge, Alberta. And as the profile states the quality of the calves really strikes home with drafts of up to 200 head selling at one time. Although there has been a stigma against the Charolais Angus cross in years past, it is time to move on and get involved. The strengths of both breeds have a synergy that spells out a win for the cow calf operator, a win for feedlot operator and a win for the processing sector, by hitting the specifications for a high yield quality grade carcass a large percentage of the time.

The Advertising and Promotion committee of the CCA utilizes the design capabilities of T Bar C Cattle Company Ltd. and they will be unfurling a new ad for the 2012 edition of the Today’s Angus Advantage magazine, and also a new ad for the 2012 edition of Herefords Today, a new brochure which will feature a collage of 5 of our most recent ads and a new 11 x 17 poster in the next few weeks. The theme continues to promote the strengths of the Charolais bull making use of the strengths of British influenced mother cows, producing the end point specifications required by the processing industry today.

On a different topic; the XXXVIII (38th) Charolais World Congress is being hosted by the British Charolais Society on the dates of June 10th to June 23rd, 2012. The tour travels through England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland with an itinerary that includes farm tours, cattle shows, fine dining, an array of touristy stuff that should appeal to all kinds of personal preferences and enough free time to shop until you drop. There is a Post Congress Tour into the Highlands of Scotland starting on June 24th through to June 27th, 2012. Perhaps the most engaging aspect of the trip is the camaraderie that is forged between groups of like minded people from many different regions of the world. As a rule, what starts out as an acquaintance morphs into friendships that last a lifetime! My life experiences are a series of adventures to be enjoyed and shared with old and new found friends alike, so I urge as many Canadians as possible to attend the event. You will not be disappointed.

Judy Cummer passes on the fact that the year letter for 2012 is Z.