Canadian Sires
monthly
ONLINE SEMEN SALES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14
Canadian Sires January Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Canadian Sires February Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, MARCH 4
Canadian Sires Early-March Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, MARCH 18
Canadian Sires Late-March Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, APRIL 1
Canadian Sires April Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, MAY 6
Canadian Sires May Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, JUNE 3
Canadian Sires June Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, JULY 1
Canadian Sires July Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, AUGUST 5
Canadian Sires August Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Canadian Sires September Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7
Canadian Sires October Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Canadian Sires November Online Semen Sale
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2
Canadian Sires December Online Semen Sale
CANADIAN SIRES BULLS WILL BE OFFERED ONLY THROUGH THESE 12 ONLINE MONTHLY SALES
Are you a member of the Manitoba Simmental Association?
To join, send a cheque for $50 for a lifetime membership to: Manitoba Simmental Association Box 1944 Minnedosa, MB R0J 1E0. Call 403-638-7741 or email sandra.mbsimmental@gmail.com for more information.
Heading into bull sale season...
(Photo courtesy of Andrea Bertholet)
Simmental Focus
The official publication of the Manitoba Simmental Association, published four times per year. Box 2296, Carman, Manitoba R0G 0J0
PUBLISHER/EDITOR- Joanne Best Cell 204-750-2350 Email: simmental.focus@gmail.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS: All members of the Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Simmental Associations receive Simmental Focus free of charge. As well, Simmental Focus is mailed to approximately 2000 commercial producers in the prairie provinces and to interested breeders throughout Canada and the U.S. If you would like to receive Simmental Focus, send your name and COMPLETE mailing address to Simmental Focus, Box 2296, Carman MB R0G 0J0. Outside Canada, please enclose $10 (U.S. Funds) to cover first-class postage.
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Down The Trail.............
Februry 6
Rust Mountain View Ranch 14th Annual Bull & Female Sale, Mercer, ND
February 7
Anchor D Simmentals & Charolais 26th Annual Genetic Edge Bull Sale, Rimbey, AB
February 8
Rod & Stars Simmental Bull Sale, DLMS.ca
February 12
s Steppler Farms Annual Bull Sale, Miami, MB
s B Bar C/Starwest 6th Annual Bull & Female Sale, Calmar, AB
February 14
s Mader Ranches 36th Annual Bull Sale, Carstairs, AB
s Triangle Stock Farms 14th Annual Bull & Female Sale, Parkland County, AB
February 15
JNR Farms Simmental Bull & Heifer Sale, Willingdon, AB
February 16
The Gentlemen’s Bull Sale, DLMS.ca
February 17
Ultra/Czech-Mate 8th Annual Bull Sale, Carstairs, AB
February 18
Virginia Ranch/Skywest Simmentals Bull Sale, Innisfail, AB
February 19
s M & J Farms/Glasman Farms Simmental & Angus 2 Year Old Bull Sale, Russell, MB
s Crossroad Farms 19th Annual Bull & Female Sale, Shell Lake, SK February 21
Maxwell Simmentals/Rancier Farms 30th Anniversary Bull Sale, Viking, AB
February 22
s Lewis Farms 40th Anniversary Bull Sale, Spruce Grove, AB
s Tri K Cattle Simmental Bull & Female Sale (with Albrecht Farms), Beaverlodge, AB February 23
Bull Fest ‘25 Simmental Bull Sale, Camrose, AB February 24
s Horner/Downhill/TSN Online Simmental Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate
s Erixon Simmentals Bull Sale, Clavet, SK
s KSL Simmentals 7th Annual Bull Sale, Beaverlodge, AB
s Beechinor Bros. Simmental Bull Sale, Bentley, AB
s Lewis Farms 39th Annual Bull Sale, Spruce Grove, AB February 25
s Westway Farms 22nd Annual Bull Sale, Didsbury, AB
s Double Bar D Farms “Best Of Both Worlds” 25th Anniversary Bull Sale, Grenfell, SK February 26
s Rainbow River Simmentals 10th Annual Bull & Female Sale, DLMS Farmgate
s Rusylvia Cattle Co. 5th Annual Bull Sale, Derwent, AB
s Spring Lake Simmentals Bull Sale, Daysland, AB
(continued on page 34)
Happy New Year y’all! I hope 2025 is off to a great start! Did Santa get to your ranch? Good thing the big guy’s sleigh runs on Christmas spirit, I’ll bet it would cost a fortune to gas that monster up! Geez, with the price of gas these days and the rising cost of groceries, sure makes ya stretch that trip into town a little further! But, look on the bright side, calf prices are holding strong and the demand for Simmental bulls is still high as we head into bull sale season! Hold on cowboys and cowgirls, we’ll get through it together!
We missed some celebrations over the holidays- we extend belated birthday wishes to Brodie McColl, McColl Simmentals, Redvers, SK who turned 40 back in November, and to Charlene Bonchuk, Bonchuk Farms, Solsgirth, MB who turned 50 earlier in January. We sure hope you both had fun celebrating, cheers to another trip around the sun!
We would also like to congratulate Don & Bea Bates, the eldest generation of Sunny Valley Simmentals, Hanley, SK who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary back in October. Don & Bea were some of the first pioneers of the Simmental breed many years ago.
Well, I’ll keep it short and sweet this time. Here’s hoping we can catch up over a sale catalog one of these days...fingers crossed Mother Nature puts in an order for sunny days and good roads! See y’all in the lunch line....Joanne
Friends, if you would like to continue receiving Simmental Focus and your mailing address has changed, e.g. new postal code, box or site # added, please send us the updated address. CANADA POST WILL NOT DELIVER IT WITHOUT THE CORRECT ADDRESS AND YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM OUR MAILING LIST!!
Please take a moment to check the label on your copy and contact us by emailing simmental.focus@gmail. com to have your address corrected. Please help us continue to send your free copy of Simmental Focus. Thank you!
Happily Ever After...
Simmental Slapped Supreme Champion
Congratulations to Wheatland Cattle Co., Bienfait, SK on capturing the title of Supreme Champion Female Canadian Western Agribition 2024 with Wheatland Lady 211H.
Congratulations to Tanner & Gracie Bertholet, Maple Lake Stock Farms, Hartney, MB who were married July 27, 2024.
Congratulations to Riley & Cassidy Chalack, Ultra Livestock, Carstairs, AB who were married September 29, 2024
Pheasantdale
Pheasantdale
Pheasantdale
A.O. Henuset Memorial Simmental Ambassador Award
Bill and Nancy Biglieni had plenty of background in the Simmental breed prior to the start of their WLB Livestock Simmental herd. Bill’s introduction to Simmentals started while travelling in the Midwest and southern United States working purebred sales in the early 70’s. A few of those sales were Simmental sales offering mostly ½ bloods and ¾ bloods as purebreds were very few in numbers then. That’s why it was such a special event when at one of the Kentucky Simmental sales a Canadian Simmental ranch called Bar 5 consigned a Fullblood Simmental heifer calf. That sale was where Bill first met Glen Osborn and Mac Draper. A couple years later Bill had the privilege to come to Canada to work the second Bar 5 Bull Sale. Bill met a number of Simmental breeders that he has considered very good friends over the years.
The following year Bill found himself returning to Canada to work on some Polled Hereford calves for Agribiton for Donn and Sylvia Mitchell, one of the five owners of Bar 5. This temporary job turned into a 12 year commitment at Klondike during which Bill and Nancy were married and had two sons, Travis and Anthony. Bill and Nancy traveled throughout North America and Canada while at Klondike Farms showing Polled Herefords for Donn and Sylvia at major US shows including Denver, Fort Worth, Louisville, and Jackson, Mississippi as well as the Toronto Royal and Western Agribition in Canada.
In the fall of 1987 Bill and Nancy and their boys moved a few miles east of Douglas, Manitoba changing their employment and residence to Bar 5. During their thirteen years at Bar 5 Bill worked with the cowherd before moving into the show/sale barn. A few years later Bill moved into the Bar 5 office and assumed a sales management and marketing position.
Upon leaving Bar 5, Bill and Nancy started their own Simmental herd. Enlisting the experience of longtime friend, associate, and mentor, Wilf Davis, Bill and Nancy purchased six bred females from Barry Labatte Gladmar, SK. Bill and Nancy dispersed their 150 head Polled Hereford herd in 2016 devoting all their efforts to their Simmental program which expanded to 170 cows before their Simmental dispersal in 2020. The WLB dispersal has been described by some industry experts as “legendary”.
During their time in the purebred seed stock industry Bill and Nancy saw their genetics distributed around the world going to Australia, South America, Europe, Asia as well as coast to coast in Canada and as far south as the Gulf states in the US.
While Bill has judged numerous beef cattle shows throughout North America leaving Nancy at home to mind their sons Nancy did find time to judge a few beef shows herself. Bill’s judging has seen him giving reasons for his placings at Denver, Fort Worth, Louisville, as well as numerous breed shows across Canada. Bill and Nancy have both judged the Agribition Supreme Championships.
Bill served one three year term as the CSA representative for Manitoba from 2021 to 2023 serving as director for finance for two of those years.
Bill says “that week back in the 70’s being part of “the Bar 5 Bull Sale” in the Keystone Center in Brandon, MB and working with Glen Osborne, Neil Moffat, Mac and John Draper, and Wilf Davis and watching the enthusiasm with which they promoted Simmentals is still very vivid memories Bill goes on to say, “Truth be known, I would of paid to work on those Fullblood bulls and those deep bodied ½ blood Simmental/Hereford cows”that sold that week”.
Maybe that’s why it was only natural that later Bill would find himself employed at Bar 5 and once again working with Neil, John, and Wilf.
Down The Trail.............
February 27
s JP Cattle Co. Annual Simmental & Angus Bull Sale, McAuley, MB
s Pheasantdale Cattle Co. 21st Annual Bull & Female Sale, Balcarres, SK
February 28
s LaBatte Simmentals with Guest East Poplar Simmentals 45th Annual Bull Sale, Moose Jaw, SK
s Lone Stone Farms Simmentaa & Red Angus Bull Sale, Westlock, AB
March 1
s McMillen Ranching Ltd. 31st Annual Bull Sale, Carievale, SK
s Mappin Silversmith 20th Anniversary Simmental Bull Sale, Byemoor, AB
s DK Land & Cattle Bull & Female Sale, DLMS.ca
s Bridge City Simmental Bull Sale, Saskatoon, SK
March 2
s Premium Beef Simmental Bull Sale, Kenton, MB
s Ferme Gagnon Inc. 26th Annual Bull Sale, Cheneville, PQ
s The Associates Bull Sale, DLMS.ca
March 3
s Canadian Central Simmental & Angus Bull & Female Sale, Neepawa, MB
s Red Willow Ranch Bull & Female Sale, Cutknife, SK
s Ashworth Farm & Ranch 22nd Annual Simmental Bull Sale, Oungre, SK
s Harvie Crest Bull Sale, Olds, AB
s 12th Annual Spring Select Simmental Bull Sale, Dawson Creek, BC
March 4
s Bonchuk Farms Annual Bull Sale, Virden, MB
s Maple Lake Stock Farms “Kick Off To Spring” Bull Sale, Hartney, MB
March 5
s Mar Mac Farms & Guests Simmental & Angus Bull Sale, Brandon, MB
s Sunny Valley Simmentals 35th Annual Bull & Female Sale, Hanley, SK
s 21st Annual Swantewitt & Sage Simmentals Bull & Heifer Sale, Shiningbank Lake, AB
March 6
s Deeg Simmentals 22nd Annual Bull & Female Sale, Strathmore, AB
s Transcon’s Next Step Simmental Bull Sale, Thorsby, AB
March 7
s 83 South Simmental Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate
s Northern Classic 22nd Annual Charolais & Simmental Bull Sale, Grande Prairie, AB
March 8
s Rancher’s Select 6th Annual Bull Sale, Neepawa, MB
s Black Gold Simmentals Bull & Female Sale, Lloydminster, SK
s Transcon’s Red Deer County Bull Sale, Innisfail, AB
March 9
Kuntz/McIntosh/SAJ 26th Annual Bull Sale, Lloydminster, SK
March 10
s McIntosh Ranch Online Simmental Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate
s Oakview/Perkin/Triple R Simmental Bull Sale, Darlingford, MB
s SouthSask Simmental & Angus Bull Sale, Moose Jaw, SK
s 12th Annual North Country Ranchland Simmental Bull Sale, Dawson Creek, BC
March 11
Prairie Partners Bull & Female Sale, Killarney,MB
March 12
s Van de Velde & Guests Online Simmental Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate
s KT Ranches 6th Annual Bull Sale, Cherryville, BC
March 13
Northern Light Simmentals Bull Sale, Rossburn, MB
March 14
High Bluff Stock Farms Charolais & Simmental Bull Sale, Inglis, MB
March 15
s McRuer Simmentals 2nd Annual Bull & Heifer Sale, Killarney, MB
s Proudly Western Simmental Bull Sale, Whitewood, SK
March 17
Highway 21 Group Charolais & Simm/Angus Bull Sale, Hanna, AB
March 18
City View Simmentals & Abound Livestock 15th Annual Bull Sale, Moose Jaw, SK
March 20
s Wheatland Cattle Co. 21st Annual Bull Sale, Bienfait, SK
s Janzen Ranches 32nd Annual Simmental & Red Angus Bull Sale, Rosemary, AB
March 21
s Sunville Simmentals 9th Annual Bull Sale, McCreary, MB
March 22
s Leewood Ranch 9th Annual Simmental Bull & Heifer Sale, Mannville, AB
March 23
Best Of The Breeds Bull Sale, Yorkton, SK
March 24
Southwest Showcase 16th Annual Simmental Bull Sale, Swift Current, SK
March 26
Camden Cattle Co. 13th Annual Simmental Bull & Heifer Sale With Guest Niwa Ranching Co., New Brigden, AB
March 28
Stoney Creek Simmental Bull & Female Sale With Guest Consignors Red Fox Maines, Kendal, SK
March 29
Manitoba Bull Test Station Bull & Female Sale, Douglas, MB
April 5
57th Annual Lundar All Breeds Beef Cattle Sale, Lundar, MB
April 11
Big Hills Simmentals & Guests Bull Sale, Brandon, MB
AD INDEX
2024 Keystone Simmental Association Commercial Producer
Of The Year
Keystone Simmental Association President, Brodie McColl presents Glen Abbey Farm with this years award.
Carol and I moved to Canada from Scotland in 1998 with our two children, Douglas and Kay. We bought and bred Black Angus Commercial cows and from there we built up a herd using Black Angus bulls for around 11 years.
We start calving beginning of January and sell our calves straight from the pasture and felt we needed to get our weaning weights higher with also a bit of hybrid vigour. We started looking at different options and liked the look of the black Simmental bulls from Maple Lake Farms. We purchased our first bull from Gerry in 2013 and never looked back.
Our weaning weights have increased by 50 lbs and we are very happy we changed to black Simmental bulls. We also feel we have good, strong replacement heifers weighing around 1000 lbs plus at 13-14 months old. This has been a huge change in the perfomance in our cattle.
CANADIAN SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION
December 23, 2024- Dwayne Martin joins Canadian Simmental Association Staff Dwayne Martin has joined the Canadian Simmental Association staff as their new advertising sales representative of Simmental Country magazine.
Dwayne will be working with Simmental breeders across Canada and the US to develop their marketing programs in the association’s publications, Simmental Country and Simmental Commercial Country, and will also assist in promoting the breed at beef industry events.
Canadian Simmental Association General Manager Bruce Holmquist says “Dwayne brings a lifetime of livestock experience in cattle industry, and I am looking forward to adding his skills to our Simmental team.”
Dwayne, along with his wife, Paula and two kids Trinity and Levi run a small Simmental and Charolais operation outside of Stettler Alberta. Dwayne has been involved in the beef industry all his life and worked in the feedlot and purebred and commercial cow calf sectors. For the last 20+ year Dwayne has been involved in multiple facets of the industry working alongside many of the leading seed stock producers in North and South America. With his family he has been Involved in every level of junior competition. Through his time as the Alberta Simmental field man and running a hoof trimming business, it has given him the ability to meet a wide range of producers and create many relationships. He looks forward to travelling the country promoting this great breed and helping the membership move forward.
