Gelbvieh Association of AB/BC News

Association News

By Darrel Hickman, President

As we reflect upon 2021, I would like to begin with a tremendous THANK YOU to our outgoing board members who have tirelessly given! They, along with many of you, have selflessly created many successful events that will continue to help push our dial forward. Our current fiscal scenario, calendar success, record setting donation heifer from Jenty, Farmfair and Wish List numbers and representation amidst one of the hardest years, and increased level of breeder engagement are all testament to the incredible people we have in this breed. On behalf of all of us, I would also like to thank Wanda and Eddie Marsman of Hillsdown Gelbvieh, with the generous gift of $100,000 towards the newly formed Foundation to support young women furthering their education, and no doubt making a difference in their lives! What a tremendous legacy to establish!

As we prepare to celebrate all things Gelbvieh in 2022, I encourage you to make sure and attend several of the events being planned throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan. The ability to Network, enjoy the company of your people while celebrating great cattle will no doubt recharge your batteries! The details are still being finalized; however, the schedule looks like:

July 22-23rd - GAA/BC celebration event and Canadian Gelbvieh Junior Show in Stettler

November 9-12th - Farmfair International

November 18-19th – Wish List in Stettler

There will be incredible hospitality and memories to be made, enjoy the privilege to induct breeders into the Hall of Fame, and support the future generations in their efforts. I would also like to encourage you to get out this year and support our fellow breeders by attending their bull or female sales. As we continue to grow in breeders and industry awareness, I would like to encourage each of you to keep up the great work that will help to carry the wagon forward another 50 years! The success of so many things are always about the people CONGRATULATIONS to the breeders who have supported this breed through thick and thin.

I wish you all happy calving, and fruitful bull sales!

GAA/BC Purebred Breeder of the Year Hillsdown Gelbvieh Wanda & Eddie Marsman

The 2021 GAA/BC 'Purebred Breeder of the Year' is Hillsdown Gelbvieh, Eddie and Wanda Marsman from Red Deer County, Alberta.

Eddie and Wanda got started in the Gelbvieh breed in 2004 with a cow calf pair that Wanda’s dad purchased from Keriness Cattle Company and a bull they purchased from Rolling Ridge Gelbvieh. The following year they purchased 5 cows at the Twin Star dispersal sale and from that point on those six cows were the foundation of their herd.

The next 10 years were spent building their herd. In 2012 they decided to sell four yearling bulls by private treaty out of the yard and by 2020 their number of bulls they were selling was up to 22.

In 2014 they went to watch Farmfair in Edmonton, and they were impressed with the Gelbvieh show they decided to start showing as well. They did so well the at their first show, from then on you couldn’t keep Eddie down, he just loved it. Everyone in the Gelbvieh barn loved the large bar that he built, even though it took a crew to haul it in and out. They were truly sociable ambassadors of the breed.

That same year Eddie and Wanda’s life changed when they produced a bull calf named Hillsdown Finnegan 4F, sired by Jen-Ty Dynamite and his dam HDG Avery 13D. This mating really worked. They decided to sell semen on Finnegan and were getting requests from all over Canada, the US and Australia.

When the decision was made to disperse their herd in 2021, they knew there was interest in Finnegan but never dreamed he would sell for $70,000 to Kittles Farms in the US, and be the highest Gelbvieh bull to sell to date.

Even though their lives have changed drastically, they made their mark on the Gelbvieh breed around the world. They can take great pride in what they have accomplished. Their herd will keep working on in other programs for years to come. Congratulations Wanda and Eddie.

L-R: Jessica Pearson, Lorna Okell presenting the award to Wanda and Eddie Marsman

GAA/BC Commercial Breeder of the Year JML Farms - Jake & Malory Loren

Jake and Malory Loren were first introduced to the Gelbvieh breed in 2015. After a couple of years of driving past a neighbor's place and always commenting to each other how nice their cows were, curiosity got the best of them and they were determined to source out the great females they had been driving by. They eventually found out they were Gelbvieh/Simmental crosses and had everything they were looking for in a mother cow. The Lorens' run 100 cows which are heavily Simmental influenced.

They purchased their first Gelbvieh bulls in 2018, sight unseen, from Twisted T Gelbvieh in Saskatchewan. The steers have the pounds in the fall and the replacement heifers have done nothing but impress. Since then Jake and Malory have purchased nine purebred Gelbvieh bulls from Hilltop Gelbvieh, AKS Gelbvieh and MacDonnell Farms.

Jake and Malory purchased their first purebred females in the fall of 2020 and will have their first purebred calves in 2022. They are excited to see where the Gelbvieh breed will take them and appreciate the relationships they have made with other Gelbvieh breeders. L-R: Jessica Pearson, Lorna Okell, Jake Loren, Malory Loren