HOLSTEIN YOUTH
STORY BY MERINA JOHNSTON
Mariah Beckett: Achieving Success in the Ring and on the Ice
W
WHILE SHE’S BECOME A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN THE 4-H WORLD FOLLOWING HER WINNING GRAND CHAMPION SHOWPERSON AT THE 2019 TD CLASSIC AT THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL WINTER FAIR, MARIAH BECKETT HAS ALSO SCORED SUCCESS ON THE ICE AS BOTH PLAYER AND COACH IN THE WORLD OF COMPETITIVE HOCKEY, DEMONSTRATING THAT SHE REALLY CAN DO IT ALL.
Growing up at Beckholm Holsteins in Uxbridge with her parents, Terry and Glenda, and younger sisters, Kaylin and Shayla, Mariah was always heavily involved in the farm. Her parents bought their current property in 1999, moving from Terry’s parent’s farm in Markham to start up on their own and building the facilities and their herd from the ground up. Terry’s parents worked primarily with a grade herd, but Terry developed a passion for genetics and breeding at an early age, starting with several successful Guernseys before diving into the Holstein world and taking out the Beckholm prefix in 1996. Since then, Terry’s dad, Ross, has sold the Markham farm and begun helping out at Beckholm, happily spending his days in the tractor and providing support where needed.
When she was forced to end her competitive hockey in her third season at university due to concussion injuries, Mariah focused on taking her coaching to the next level. She’s had the opportunity to work as the Assistant Coach at the Ontario Summer Games, a competitive summer program that helps to select the provincial team for the year for U16 and U18 Women’s Hockey. More recently, Mariah was also selected to help coach at the U16 and U18 National Team Selection Camps, an exciting opportunity which allowed her to to push herself and take her coaching capabilities to the next level. In achieving so much success in both hockey and showing cattle, Mariah credits having great influencers in her life guiding her. “A lot of people have had a huge impact on me,” she says. I’ve been super privileged in the sense that I’ve always been surrounded by extremely knowledgeable and smart cow people my whole life, and hockey people. There’s always been an abundance of mentors for me to look up to.”
Building Beckholm Holsteins from the ground up required hard work and dedication, but it’s been paying off for the Beckett family with multiple All-Ontario and All-Canadian nominations under the Beckholm name, and a well-balanced, deep-pedigreed herd in the barn to work with. They currently milk 60 predominantly black and Her dad, Terry, has played an especially important role in her life, white Holsteins, with a few red and white thrown into the mix. The helping to drive her passion and knowledge of farming. Mariah says farm has also grown in size, now consisting of approximately 450 she is “a cow person through and through” and there’s no doubt that acres spread across three properties. influence comes from Terry. At shows, you can often catch Terry and A family trait, Mariah has demonstrated incredible commitment to Mariah discussing their animals, milking and feeding times, and toher 4-H career, culminating in her win at the TD Canadian 4-H do’s to get the string out looking their best. Dairy Classic in 2019. Leading 4-H heifer Gleann Gracie A, at the Moving forward, Terry is slowly passing the torch to Mariah, having time a Junior Yearling from the Georgette family, Mariah was not her take over responsibilities on the farm and build her own goals expecting to win. Taking nothing for granted, she knew the size for the future of Beckholm Holsteins. Mariah says she hopes to of her heifer would be a challenge and she couldn’t miss a beat in continue to have high-type, elite, good cows in their barn all the the ring. Needless to say, her work with Gracie paid off when they time, adding, “we take a lot of pride in the cows that we manage.” captured the Champion title, despite the size of her heifer. With 15 red and white Holsteins currently, Mariah also hopes to use That same dedication and hard work that built Beckholm Holsteins more red genetics and expand this part of the herd. While she’s only and Mariah’s successful 4-H career can also be seen in her shown one red and white in her 4-H career, she has a passion for the achievements at the rink. While she didn’t start playing hockey until uniqueness of the breed. the age of 10, she didn’t shy away from the challenge of learning Aside from farming, the game and the skillset needed to succeed. Through attending Mariah is just as deeply intensive summer training camps, leaning on mentors and coaches, committed to her future in and a lot of late nights and early mornings, Mariah became a fierce sports as well, with plans to competitor on the ice in the Centreman position. This resulted in continue coaching within her being awarded a coveted hockey scholarship to play university the Ontario Women’s hockey at Laurentian University in Sudbury, where she graduated Hockey Association’s this past April with her Bachelor’s degree in Physical and Health high-performance hockey Education, cum Laude. program. She also hopes Playing hockey at a high level soon led to a coaching position, and to one day open her own Mariah credits her time in 4-H for allowing her to acquire some key barn-inspired gym, merging skills needed as a coach. “Our 4-H club makes people get up and her athletic and farming talk, actually present themselves to the group,” she says, adding that passions in a unique and both activities have helped her leadership, adaptability, and people inspiring way. Looking back management skills. Furthermore, farming and sports have built a over her illustrious career solid work ethic in Mariah and a passion for physical activity that to-date, there’s no doubt she has no qualms about demonstrating at the gym, on the ice, or in her dedication will drive her the barn. future plans to succeed.
34
THE
Link
THE BULLVINE
SUMMER/FALL 2020
W W W. O N TA R I O. H O L ST E I N . C A
