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Website Address Welcome -------------------------------------------------------------2-3
This cattle business is really pretty solid. Calves are $200-$300 more than a year ago. Cull cows are $150 more and feed costs are reduced a little. Cow numbers across North American cow country are very low and beef demand is up. We are setting up for some very rewarding times. The clear thinking cowmen and women who stay the course will enjoy some very profitable years. On the personal side, Pat and I, our family and crew have remained healthy through it all. We are thankful everyday for the business we are in, for where we live and for the people we have around us. Our son Cody ranches with us full time and has responsibility for the Charolais program. Credit to him how well he knows this herd and the progress he has made in half a dozen years. The cattle get better and better and have the “MC Quantock” stamp. When there is a cow we can’t identify or a tough question about the “whites” just ask Cody, seldom is he wrong. Our daughter, Robin and son in-law, Mark and two busy grandkids, Hannah and Grayson, live in Calgary! Mark is the Director, Energy and Industrial Property Tax for Altus Group. Robin handles all our cattle records, registrations, etc. She also handles our internet work and is helping more with the advertising and office side of our ranch management. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate her as she takes a load off both Pat and I. Both Robin and Mark “work their butts off” sale week, we simply could not do it without them. Calm, competent and capable we can’t thank them enough. Our son Lee studied Ranch Management at Texas A&M and is not involved in the ranch at this time. He lives and works in Colorado. He was instrumental in setting up our website and social media in the past. I don’t want folks to think that Pat and I spend our time sitting around listening to classic country music but our description of our journey from last years bull book bears repeating. Pat and I joke that our journey in building our ranch can be summed up in three country songs. When we started on our own in the 90’s we felt like it was Tanya Tuckers, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane.” As we raised our family and built our ranch, Garth Brooks, “We Might Have Done It Different, But We’d Have Had to Miss The Dance” seemed appropriate. And now Toby Keith’s, “Don’t Let The Old Man In” and the lyrics “how old would you be if you didn’t know the day you were born” has particular meaning for me as does another of Toby’s songs “I ain’t as good as I once was...but I’m as good once as I ever was! We are still a pretty good team. I’m the “big picture guy” and she’s the “detail lady.” I cannot thank her enough for her contribution, support and for weathering the storm with me! As I spend a little more time thinking I really believe “we won the lottery” to do what we do and live where we live. I like to say the word “thanks” quite a lot...gratitude is good for the soul. We have always been blessed to have a great long term ranch staff. The opportunity, as I get older, to work with competent, young, enthusiastic, interested people is exciting and rewarding. They are all dedicated and have the best interest of the ranch at heart. We are so lucky to have them. Our foreman, Rick Knorr, takes on increasing responsibility as the ranch grows. He and his wife, Dom, now have a beautiful daughter, Sadie, to keep them busy. Ross Maxwell started with us in 2009, 13 years ago, he just handles everything. He and wife Lacey have two sweet daughters, Eveline and Elizabeth and have a small herd of their own on their place at Tuliby Lake. We were joined last year by Matt Mackeracher, Matt and wife Lauren and two little ones Callie and Tucker ranch north of Marwayne. Matt has made a real contribution here. He is capable beyond his years and a real “cow guy” Matt carries a big load managing and feeding a lot of cattle of his own as well. Jon Kennedy joined us fall “21” he is a “farmboy” from Rosalind, who spent a long spell in the oil patch and is enjoying getting back to his roots. Jon is capable cow wise and is a great mechanic. It seems there is not much he can’t handle, organize and accomplish. Jon, his wife Nadine and two daughters, Trinity and Eva live right in the ranch yard, he likes the short commute. Our thanks also to Jake Pilkey who has helped us during our busy fall. I want to acknowledge the contribution Jason Whiting makes to our sale effort. Jason has built and edited our video and handles all the “techy” stuff sale week. He is a pleasure to work with and is pretty tolerant of an old cowboy. A special thanks to Deb Lundquist who helps in the office and is Pat’s “right arm” at sale time. Our thanks to our friends who have given their help, advice and assistance all year and to all the fine people who help Pat and I during the sale week: our thanks in advance. We really do appreciate everything you do to help Pat and I during the sale week; our thanks in advance. We really do appreciate everything you do to help us and nothing would be possible without you. Our sale is on “experience” and we’d love to have you come. We’ll be ready with lots of fellowship, good food and lots of great cattle. See you on Saturday, January 28, 2023
