WEBVTT

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Creeping over fields of green Remembering the

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faces The moments unseen The hands that built

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a dynasty The vision in their eyes Echoes in

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the auction bar Beneath an endless sky This is

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the bull buy Turn the bar You stand at the edge

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of the show ring, your heart hammering against

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your ribs like a loose belt on an old hay baler.

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The imported bull from Scotland shifts beside

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you, his massive frame dwarfing your 15 -year

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-old body. Your hands are slick with sweat as

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you grip the lead rope, and you're acutely aware

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that you're wearing borrowed white pants, the

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ones your panicked parents had to rush to the

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Canadian National Exhibition because you forgot

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to pack proper show clothes. The judge approaches.

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his experienced eyes scanning every line of the

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Ayrshire bull you're leading. Around the ring,

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seasoned showmen with decades of experience watch

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your every move. You've been working cattle for

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exactly one month. They've been doing this since

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before you were born. But something extraordinary

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happens in that moment. Your breathing slows.

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Your grip loosens on the lead. The bull seems

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to sense your calm and settles into perfect position.

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When the judge points to you for junior champion,

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then grand champion, you're witnessing the birth

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of what will become the most legendary showmanship

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career in dairy history. Fast forward 45 years.

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You're standing in a different ring, but the

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pressure feels identical. The Royal Winterfair,

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1992. This time, you're leading Duncan Bell,

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the Jersey cow you've fallen in love with, the

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animal that will become one of the greatest brood

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cows the breed has ever produced. As the judge

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raises his hand to signal grand champion, you're

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16th at the Royal, you realize you've just set

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a record that will likely never be equaled. But

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between that terrified teenager and this master

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showman lies a story that will reshape how an

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entire industry thinks about cattle, competition,

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and passing knowledge to the next generation.

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It's the story of how disaster breeds resilience,

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how careful observation becomes wisdom, and how

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one man's philosophy of calm confidence will

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echo through dairy barns across North America

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for decades to come. This is the story of Bertram

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Stewart, and it begins with a family farm that

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loses everything, a teenage boy who learns that

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pressure creates either panic or poise, and a

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career that will prove that the greatest champions

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aren't born. They're taught. You need to understand

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the world Bert Stewart entered, because it's

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a world your grandfather might have known. where

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farming was both simpler and infinitely more

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precarious than today. Picture Ontario in the

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1930s. You're looking at a province where mixed

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farming still rules, where most operations run

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a little bit of everything. Dairy cows, percheron

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horses for fieldwork, maybe some sheep, definitely

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pigs, and enough grain to feed it all. It's the

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kind of diversification that modern agricultural

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economists recommend. But back then, it's just

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survival. The dirty 30s aren't just about dust

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bowls in Saskatchewan. Here in Ontario, you're

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watching families lose everything to forces they

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can't control. Disease sweeps through herds with

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devastating efficiency. Brucellosis, what they

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call Bang's disease, doesn't care how long your

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family has been farming or how much sweat equity

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you've built up. When it hits, everything goes

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to the slaughter plant. You're farming in an

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era when a mixed farmer like Ernie Stewart can

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lose his entire herd and have to start over with

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a different breed. It's unthinkable today with

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our biosecurity protocols and vaccination programs,

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but in 1936, you rebuild from zero or you quit

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farming. There's no middle ground, no insurance

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payouts, no government assistance programs. The

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agricultural extension system is in its infancy

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when young Bert is learning the ropes. You've

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got county agricultural representatives who double

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as 4 -H coaches, traveling from farm to farm

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in Model T Fords, carrying the latest information

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from agricultural colleges. They're the internet

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of their day, the only reliable way new practices

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spread through farming communities. Competition

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culture is emerging around livestock shows. The

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Royal Winter Fair isn't just a friendly gathering.

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It's becoming the proving ground where reputations

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are made and fortunes are built. When you show

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cattle at the Royal in 1950, you're competing

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against operations with unlimited budgets, herds

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of 30 or 40 animals, and showmen who've perfected

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their craft over decades. Think about what showing

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meant in this era. No hydraulic chutes, no electric

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clippers in most barns. You're using hand -powered

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equipment, fitting cattle by kerosene lamplight,

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and learning techniques that have been passed

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down through generations of stockmen. When Owen

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Richards from Alberta demonstrates body clipping,

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he's revolutionizing the industry one stroke

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at a time. The economics are brutal and simple.

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A good bull calf might bring $500 if you're lucky.

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A proven cow with a solid production record could

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be worth $1 ,000. But equipment failures, bad

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weather, or disease can wipe out years of careful

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breeding in a single season. You're always one

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catastrophe away from starting over. This is

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the world that shapes Burt Stewart's approach

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to everything. When you grow up watching your

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family lose their entire herd to disease, when

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you see neighbors forced out by circumstances

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beyond their control, you develop two things.

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An appreciation for the knowledge older stockmen

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are willing to share, and a bone -deep understanding

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that success comes from mastering fundamentals

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so thoroughly that you can perform under any

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pressure. You're about to see how a farm boy

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who learned these lessons becomes the most successful

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showman of his generation. But first, you need

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to understand the family that taught him that

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losing everything isn't the end. It's just another

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beginning. You wake up on August 19, 1932, on

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a country farm just north of Bolton, Ontario,

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as the seventh child in a family that's about

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to teach you everything about both winning and

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losing. Your father, Ernie Stewart, breeds Percheron

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horses and judges them across the countryside.

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Your mother, Jenny, evaluates sewing and cooking

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competitions. You're surrounded by brothers who

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will become legends in their own right. Andy

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will win national collegiate judging competitions,

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and RJ will master the Royal Winter Fair judging

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contest two years before you do. But your earliest

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memory isn't about winning. It's about disaster.

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You're four years old when brucellosis sweeps

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through your family's herd like wildfire through

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dry hay. You watch truck after truck pull into

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your farmyard, watch every cow your family has

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worked to build loaded up and driven away to

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slaughter. The barn that was alive with lowing

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cattle and the rhythm of morning milking falls

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silent except for the echo of your footsteps.

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Your father doesn't quit. That's the first lesson

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you absorb without knowing it. When catastrophe

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strikes, you assess, you adapt, and you rebuild.

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Ernie Stewart switches to purebred Ayrshires,

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even though, as you'll later admit, there wasn't

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much market for them. It's not about the economics.

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It's about refusing to let circumstances dictate

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your future. You learn to clip cattle with hand

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-powered clippers, your brother turning the handle

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while you guide the blades. Your first attempts

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are, as you'll later describe them, far from

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respectable. But you keep practicing because

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in the Stewart household, competence isn't optional.

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It's expected. The competitive atmosphere is

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constant but supportive. You're watching your

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older brothers excel at livestock judging, seeing

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them earn scholarships to Ontario Agricultural

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College, and understanding that success comes

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from outworking everyone else. When Andy becomes

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high individual at the 1946 National Collegiate

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Competition in Iowa, you're taking notes. When

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RJ wins the 1949 Royal Winterfair judging competition,

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you're already planning your own assault on that

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same contest. You join 4 -H at 12, the minimum

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age, and immediately throw yourself into every

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program available. Dairy calves, sheep, swine,

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field crops. At Bolton Fair, you compete in showmanship

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competitions that include all breeds and all

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species. You're learning that showing animals

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isn't about the animals. It's about reading judges.

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understanding what they value, and presenting

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whatever you're leading in the best possible

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light. But your education extends beyond agriculture.

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You play fast -pitch softball competitively,

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learning about teamwork, pressure, and the mental

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game that separates good competitors from champions.

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Your coach drives out to the farm to pick you

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up for games because your parents don't have

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time. They're too busy keeping the farm running.

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It's another lesson in how communities support

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each other. how older people invest in younger

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ones, and how that creates obligations you'll

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spend your life repaying. Your father breeds

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horses, but there's no money in horses. You watch

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him provide stud service to every mayor in the

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community, often never getting paid for breeding

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fees. It's your first education in how agricultural

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markets can be unforgiving, how you can provide

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essential services and still struggle to make

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ends meet. The Stuart approach to everything

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is methodical. You study successful people, analyze

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what makes them effective, and practice relentlessly.

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When Johnny Moles shows Ayrshire cattle with

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such skill that you dream of matching his ability,

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you don't just admire, you observe, you question,

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and you practice every technique until it becomes

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second nature. In high school, you're already

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taking month -long breaks to prepare for the

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Royal Winter Fair judging competition. Your coach,

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Jim McCullough, teaches your team about every

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livestock species, but you notice he relies on

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your father for horse evaluation because he's

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honest about his limitations. Another lesson,

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acknowledge what you don't know, find experts

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who do know, and learn from them without ego

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getting in the way. When 1951 arrives, you're

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as prepared as any 17 -year -old can be. You've

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studied under the best teachers available. practiced

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until techniques become instinct, and absorbed

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the Stewart family philosophy that preparation

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plus opportunity equals success. But as you prepare

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for the Royal Winter Fair judging competition

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that will determine your future, you have no

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idea that your real education is about to begin,

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and it will start with the most terrifying and

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exhilarating moment of your young life. November

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1951. You stand with Ralph Dunton and your brother

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Hilliard, at the Royal Winter Fair, representing

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Peel County in the inner -county judging competition.

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Around you, teams from across Ontario are preparing

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for a contest that will judge two classes each

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of dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, swine, and

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horses. You'll need to give reasons on six classes,

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articulating not just what you see, but why it

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matters. The pressure is immense. This isn't

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just a competition. It's your ticket to Ontario

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Agricultural College and a future in agriculture.

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The FK Moro Scholarship goes to the high individual

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winner, covering tuition for the two -year diploma

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course at OAC. Without it, college remains a

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dream you can't afford. As you move through the

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classes, everything your family has taught you

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clicks into place. You're not just looking at

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individual animals. You're seeing breeding patterns,

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understanding functional anatomy, recognizing

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the subtle differences that separate good from

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great. When the results are announced, your name

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is called as High Individual Winner. The team

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prize goes to Peel County as well. But winning

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the scholarship is just the beginning. Three

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weeks later, you're working for an Ayrshire breeder

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preparing five animals, four heifers and one

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imported bull from Scotland for the Canadian

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National Exhibition. For one month, you clip,

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train and condition these cattle learning every

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detail of their confirmation and temperament.

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The night before the show, you ask the question

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that seems obvious. Who's going to show these

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tomorrow? The answer stops your heart. You are.

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You don't even own white show clothes. As panic

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sets in, you realize this moment will define

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everything that follows. Your parents make an

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emergency trip to bring you proper attire, but

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the real test isn't what you're wearing. It's

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whether you can function under pressure. that

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would crush most teenagers. Walking into that

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ring, you're facing seasoned Ayrshire breeders

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who've been perfecting their craft for decades.

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The imported bull beside you represents more

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money than most families spend on cars. One mistake,

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a stumble, a poor setup, a moment of visible

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nerves, and you'll be remembered as the kid who

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choked on the biggest stage. Instead, something

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transformative happens. You're breathing steadies.

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your hands find the right grip on the lead. The

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bull responds to your calm confidence, settling

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into position like he's been waiting for this

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moment his entire life. When the judge awards

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junior champion, then grand champion, you realize

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you've just announced your presence to the entire

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Canadian dairy industry. At OAC, you're balancing

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classes with an obsession that will define your

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career. Learning from anyone who will share their

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knowledge. Dave Houck picks you up every morning

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to work at what's now Puccini Farm, the old Romandale

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Farm, where you're breaking cattle to lead and

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hand -milking Mahoney Babe Lockenvar three times

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a day to 120 pounds. This is your graduate education

00:15:04.850 --> 00:15:08.070
in practical cattle management. Mahoney Babe

00:15:08.070 --> 00:15:10.610
Lockenvar is the first cow you've ever milked

00:15:10.610 --> 00:15:13.490
that produces over 100 pounds per day, and you're

00:15:13.490 --> 00:15:16.230
doing it by hand. You're developing the arm strength

00:15:16.230 --> 00:15:19.200
and rhythm that will serve you for decades. But

00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.580
more importantly, you're learning how exceptional

00:15:21.580 --> 00:15:24.960
cattle move, how they respond to handling, and

00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:28.759
what separates good cows from great ones. Breaking

00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:31.620
five mature daughters of Lone Elm Texel Highcroft

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:35.039
to lead becomes an exercise in patience and psychology.

00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:38.419
These aren't gentle 4 -H calves. They're full

00:15:38.419 --> 00:15:40.879
-grown cows with established habits and strong

00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:44.019
opinions. Getting them comfortable on leads requires

00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:47.179
understanding bovine behavior at a level most

00:15:47.179 --> 00:15:50.000
people never develop. But your real education

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:53.600
comes from studying the masters. Edmis Campbell,

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:56.500
the legendary fitter whose preparation techniques

00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:59.460
are spoken about in whispers across the industry.

00:16:00.100 --> 00:16:02.919
You watch him clip cattle, observe his feeding

00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:05.679
programs, and learn that show preparation is

00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.340
both art and science. When he teaches you to

00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:11.700
handle a bull calf with a tremendous amount of

00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:13.919
throat and dewlap, you're learning principles

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:17.159
that will guide your career. Owen Richards from

00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:19.879
Woodland Ayrshires in Alberta becomes your model

00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.179
for body clipping. He's not fast, but every stroke

00:16:23.179 --> 00:16:26.179
has purpose. Every cut improves the animal's

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:29.919
appearance. You spend hours watching him work,

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.620
understanding that perfection comes from patience

00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:36.100
and attention to detail. J .M. Fraser of Spring

00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:39.360
Farm becomes another crucial mentor. When you

00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:41.360
help him at the Royal and take the initiative

00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:44.259
to clip Spring Farm Juliet's legs, something

00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:46.509
he's never done before, you're learning about

00:16:46.509 --> 00:16:49.169
innovation and the courage to improve established

00:16:49.169 --> 00:16:54.470
practices. Graduating from OAC in 1954, you face

00:16:54.470 --> 00:16:57.409
a choice that confronts every farm kid. Return

00:16:57.409 --> 00:16:59.970
home to work for family or strike out on your

00:16:59.970 --> 00:17:03.370
own. With your brother RJ already established

00:17:03.370 --> 00:17:06.470
on the home farm, you choose independence, taking

00:17:06.470 --> 00:17:09.130
a job with Canada Packers in their feed and fertilizer

00:17:09.130 --> 00:17:12.500
division. Your territory in Bruce County isn't

00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:14.960
blessed with sophisticated dairy operations or

00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:17.779
strong support industries. Instead of seeing

00:17:17.779 --> 00:17:20.660
this as a disadvantage, you recognize it as an

00:17:20.660 --> 00:17:24.599
opportunity. You become the educator, teaching

00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:27.339
farmers about protein requirements, hay quality,

00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:30.460
and management practices that can improve profitability.

00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:34.460
Every farm call becomes a chance to learn and

00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:36.779
to share knowledge. But you're also preparing

00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:40.779
for something bigger. In 1958, When the Canadian

00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:43.559
Holstein Journal offers you a position as associate

00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:46.599
editor, you understand that this job will give

00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:49.640
you access to every major breeder, every important

00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:52.920
show, and every significant sale in the Holstein

00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:55.059
business. You'll get to know the industry from

00:17:55.059 --> 00:17:57.740
the inside, building relationships that will

00:17:57.740 --> 00:18:01.000
define your career. Standing in the Holstein

00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:03.599
Journal office, surrounded by the agricultural

00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.839
press that shapes industry opinion, you realize

00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:10.799
your real education is just beginning. The teenager

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:13.339
who forgot his white pants has become a young

00:18:13.339 --> 00:18:16.000
professional with access to the highest levels

00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:19.380
of Canadian dairy breeding. But you have no idea

00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:21.960
that your biggest opportunities and your most

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:25.099
difficult tests are waiting for you at a farm

00:18:25.099 --> 00:18:28.200
owned by two Italian immigrant brothers who dream

00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:32.019
of building a world -class Holstein herd. You

00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:34.039
need to understand what's happening in the Canadian

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:36.799
dairy industry during Bert's formative years.

00:18:37.470 --> 00:18:40.410
because it's an industry in the middle of revolutionary

00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:43.869
change. Changes that create the perfect environment

00:18:43.869 --> 00:18:47.269
for someone with his particular talents. The

00:18:47.269 --> 00:18:50.170
1950s represent the golden age of agricultural

00:18:50.170 --> 00:18:53.809
shows in Canada. The Canadian National Exhibition

00:18:53.809 --> 00:18:56.569
isn't just a fair. It's where reputations are

00:18:56.569 --> 00:18:59.089
made. and fortunes are built. When you show at

00:18:59.089 --> 00:19:02.529
the CNE in 1955, you're competing against over

00:19:02.529 --> 00:19:05.730
300 head of Holsteins, with operations bringing

00:19:05.730 --> 00:19:08.769
their absolute best animals and their most skilled

00:19:08.769 --> 00:19:12.549
showmen. The economics of showing are staggering

00:19:12.549 --> 00:19:15.710
by today's standards. Operations like Romandale

00:19:15.710 --> 00:19:18.650
and Oak Ridges regularly bring 30 to 40 head

00:19:18.650 --> 00:19:21.630
to major shows, with unlimited budgets for preparation,

00:19:21.950 --> 00:19:24.890
transportation, and skilled labor. It's an arms

00:19:24.890 --> 00:19:27.549
race of quality and presentation that forces

00:19:27.549 --> 00:19:30.529
the industry to adopt rules limiting show string

00:19:30.529 --> 00:19:34.490
sizes to 15 head per operation. The export market

00:19:34.490 --> 00:19:36.769
is exploding. Canadian genetics are in demand

00:19:36.769 --> 00:19:39.029
worldwide, with buyers from the United States,

00:19:39.170 --> 00:19:42.269
Japan, Cuba, and Mexico paying record prices

00:19:42.269 --> 00:19:45.519
for superior cattle. A good cow that might sell

00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:49.079
for $2 ,000 in Ontario can bring $10 ,000 or

00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:51.900
more when sold to international buyers who understand

00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:55.500
her genetic value. This creates opportunities

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:58.240
for people like Bert who can evaluate cattle

00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.299
accurately and prepare them for maximum appeal.

00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:04.900
The difference between a cow that sells for $5

00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:09.079
,000 and one that brings $25 ,000 often comes

00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:12.680
down to presentation, conditioning, and the reputation

00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:15.980
of the person leading her. The extension system

00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:19.759
is reaching its peak effectiveness. County agricultural

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:22.240
representatives aren't just government employees.

00:20:22.619 --> 00:20:25.099
They're trusted advisors who carry the latest

00:20:25.099 --> 00:20:28.059
research from agricultural colleges to working

00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:31.380
farms. When they coach 4 -H teams or organize

00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:34.440
judging competitions, they're creating the next

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:38.160
generation of agricultural leaders. Ontario Agricultural

00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:40.519
College is producing graduates who will shape

00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:43.819
the industry for decades. The two -year diploma

00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:46.140
course isn't just about livestock and crops.

00:20:46.420 --> 00:20:49.680
It's about business management, marketing, and

00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:52.160
the communication skills needed to succeed in

00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.539
an increasingly complex agricultural economy.

00:20:55.220 --> 00:20:57.160
The scholarship system creates opportunities

00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:00.059
for farm kids who might otherwise never access

00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:04.160
higher education. The FK, Moro Scholarship that

00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:07.559
sends Burt to OAC, is typical of programs designed

00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:10.690
to identify and develop rural talent. Competition

00:21:10.690 --> 00:21:13.369
for these scholarships is fierce, with only the

00:21:13.369 --> 00:21:15.910
most dedicated and skilled students earning support.

00:21:16.470 --> 00:21:19.410
Breed associations are becoming powerful forces

00:21:19.410 --> 00:21:22.529
in agricultural development. Holstein Canada,

00:21:22.849 --> 00:21:25.650
the Jersey Organization, and Ayrshire Breeders

00:21:25.650 --> 00:21:28.509
are more than registration services. They're

00:21:28.509 --> 00:21:30.829
marketing cooperatives that promote Canadian

00:21:30.829 --> 00:21:33.730
genetics worldwide and provide technical support

00:21:33.730 --> 00:21:37.549
to their members. Agricultural journalism is

00:21:37.549 --> 00:21:40.690
reaching new levels of influence. Publications

00:21:40.690 --> 00:21:43.369
like the Holstein Journal and Hoard's Dairyman

00:21:43.369 --> 00:21:46.549
shape industry opinion, promote new practices,

00:21:46.869 --> 00:21:49.289
and provide the platform where reputations are

00:21:49.289 --> 00:21:52.009
built. When you work for the Holstein Journal,

00:21:52.190 --> 00:21:54.890
you have access to every major operation and

00:21:54.890 --> 00:21:57.109
every significant development in the industry.

00:21:57.789 --> 00:22:00.589
The artificial insemination industry is in its

00:22:00.589 --> 00:22:04.029
infancy, but growing rapidly. Bulls that prove

00:22:04.029 --> 00:22:06.210
themselves in show rings and through progeny

00:22:06.210 --> 00:22:08.859
testing can generate enormous revenue through

00:22:08.859 --> 00:22:11.980
semen sales. This creates new incentives for

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:14.279
identifying and developing superior genetics.

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:17.700
Show culture is becoming increasingly sophisticated.

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:20.839
Professional fitters like Edmis Campbell are

00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:23.339
developing techniques that transform good cattle

00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:26.799
into champions. Body clipping, specialized feeding

00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:29.640
programs, and conditioning methods are reaching

00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:32.359
levels of refinement that rival human athletic

00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:35.269
training. The judging profession is evolving

00:22:35.269 --> 00:22:38.529
from local expertise to international specialization.

00:22:39.970 --> 00:22:43.329
Judges who prove themselves at major shows find

00:22:43.329 --> 00:22:46.329
opportunities to officiate worldwide, carrying

00:22:46.329 --> 00:22:49.309
techniques and standards across borders and breeding

00:22:49.309 --> 00:22:53.750
programs. This is the industry context that creates

00:22:53.750 --> 00:22:56.650
perfect conditions for someone with Burt Stewart's

00:22:56.650 --> 00:22:59.569
combination of skills, ambition, and learning

00:22:59.569 --> 00:23:03.180
ability. The explosion of show competition the

00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:06.200
growth of international markets, and the professionalization

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:09.240
of cattle preparation create opportunities that

00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:13.359
didn't exist for previous generations. But capitalizing

00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.880
on these opportunities requires more than skill.

00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:19.140
It requires the kind of risk -taking and strategic

00:23:19.140 --> 00:23:21.619
thinking that will be tested when Bert faces

00:23:21.619 --> 00:23:24.859
the biggest gamble of his early career, a $4

00:23:24.859 --> 00:23:28.660
,500 bet on a nine -week -old calf that his mother

00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:31.460
warns him about the very night he makes the purchase.

00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:36.240
The phone call comes in 1960, and it changes

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:39.660
everything. Angelo Agro wants to meet you for

00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:42.259
dinner at the wholesale fruit market in Hamilton.

00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:45.400
You've been working for the Holstein Journal

00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:48.500
for two years, building relationships with every

00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:51.440
major breeder in Canada, but the daily commute

00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:53.839
through Toronto traffic is wearing you down.

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:57.380
When Angelo describes his vision for developing

00:23:57.380 --> 00:24:00.730
a world -class Holstein herd, you recognize the

00:24:00.730 --> 00:24:03.349
opportunity you've been preparing for your entire

00:24:03.349 --> 00:24:07.690
career. Angelo and Frank Agro are wealthy Italian

00:24:07.690 --> 00:24:10.230
immigrants who've made their fortune in fruit

00:24:10.230 --> 00:24:13.410
wholesaling, but they dream bigger. They've purchased

00:24:13.410 --> 00:24:16.170
the Jackson farm and want to build a herd that

00:24:16.170 --> 00:24:18.670
will compete with operations like Romandale and

00:24:18.670 --> 00:24:21.829
Oak Ridges. They need someone who understands

00:24:21.829 --> 00:24:25.400
genetics, can evaluate cattle accurately, and

00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:28.259
has the industry connections to acquire the right

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:31.000
animals. You understand immediately that this

00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:33.579
position offers something the journal never could,

00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:37.160
the chance to build something from scratch, to

00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:39.700
prove that superior knowledge and careful planning

00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:42.880
can compete with unlimited budgets and established

00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:48.319
reputations. May 3, 1960. The Sheffield Dispersal.

00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:51.420
You stand in the sale pavilion. watching cattle

00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:53.859
that represent decades of careful breeding being

00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:56.740
offered to the highest bidder angelo has agreed

00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:59.279
to let you make the purchasing decisions trusting

00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:01.880
your eye for quality and your understanding of

00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:05.980
genetic value then you see her sheffield climax

00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:09.440
pantsy nine weeks old sharp and dairy in every

00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:12.119
line she has everything you believe a calf should

00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:15.019
have correct confirmation strong constitution

00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:18.019
and the kind of presence that suggests exceptional

00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:22.359
potential But she's priced at $4 ,500, more than

00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:24.839
most families spend on automobiles. You tell

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:27.460
Frank to get his brother to bid. The number climbs.

00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:33.980
$3 ,000, $3 ,500, $4 ,000, $4 ,500. When the

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:36.599
hammer falls, you own a nine -week -old calf

00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:39.220
that represents either the foundation of a dynasty

00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:42.000
or the most expensive mistake of your career.

00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:45.750
That night, your mother calls. Her voice carries

00:25:45.750 --> 00:25:48.549
the worry of every farm family that's ever gambled

00:25:48.549 --> 00:25:51.710
on livestock. Bert, please be careful when you're

00:25:51.710 --> 00:25:54.269
spending other people's money. You reassure her

00:25:54.269 --> 00:25:57.210
that Angelo was doing all the bidding, but privately

00:25:57.210 --> 00:26:00.170
you understand the magnitude of the risk you've

00:26:00.170 --> 00:26:04.069
taken. Moving to the agro farm in July, you're

00:26:04.069 --> 00:26:06.369
taking on challenges that will test everything

00:26:06.369 --> 00:26:09.289
you've learned. The operation needs a complete

00:26:09.289 --> 00:26:12.509
overhaul, better management, upgraded facilities,

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:15.440
and a systematic approach to cattle development

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:17.839
that can compete with operations that have been

00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:21.500
perfecting their programs for generations. Your

00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:24.579
first autumn at Agro, you purchase Ormsdale Queen

00:26:24.579 --> 00:26:27.640
Ollie. She becomes Reserve All -Canadian Senior

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:31.099
Yearling in 1960, validating your ability to

00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:34.660
identify and develop quality cattle. But Pansy

00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:37.400
remains your biggest bet, the calf whose future

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:39.539
will determine whether your approach to genetics

00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:43.720
and management can create champions. Your first

00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:46.759
trip to Chicago as a farm manager, taking Pansy

00:26:46.759 --> 00:26:48.839
as a junior yearling to compete at the International

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:52.839
Livestock Exposition. She places fifth in a class

00:26:52.839 --> 00:26:55.000
that represents the best genetics from across

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:58.319
North America, and Ontario wins the state herd

00:26:58.319 --> 00:27:01.740
competition. You're announcing Agroacres as a

00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:03.740
serious player in international competition,

00:27:04.059 --> 00:27:06.819
but you're learning that success brings complications.

00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:10.319
Angelo listens to advice from multiple sources.

00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:13.160
and not everyone shares your philosophy about

00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:16.640
showing and management. When Les Millington begins

00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:19.819
influencing decisions about which judges to show

00:27:19.819 --> 00:27:23.160
under, you recognize a fundamental conflict that

00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:26.380
will test your principles. The crisis comes in

00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:30.059
1963. Millington advises Angelo against showing

00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:32.779
under Jim Henderson at the Wentworth County Black

00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:35.420
and White Show. You've already prepared entries

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:38.160
and planned strategy based on Henderson's known

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:41.259
preferences for dairy character and correct mammary

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:45.940
systems. Changing course now means abandoning

00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:48.299
your professional judgment for someone else's

00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:51.160
political considerations. You present Angelo

00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:54.920
with an ultimatum that surprises even you. If

00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:57.519
you don't put the entries in, then you and I

00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:01.319
have to go separate ways. It's a career -defining

00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:03.829
moment. You're willing to lose a prestigious

00:28:03.829 --> 00:28:06.250
position rather than compromise your professional

00:28:06.250 --> 00:28:09.170
standards. Angelo doesn't believe you're serious.

00:28:10.130 --> 00:28:13.349
Hazel, your wife, corrects him. You don't know

00:28:13.349 --> 00:28:17.670
Bert. The entries don't go in. You leave Agroacres.

00:28:18.250 --> 00:28:21.029
Living in Waterdown, you start buying and selling

00:28:21.029 --> 00:28:23.910
commercial cows, developing a network of buyers

00:28:23.910 --> 00:28:26.630
and sellers across Ontario and the United States.

00:28:27.289 --> 00:28:29.630
It's profitable work that keeps you connected

00:28:29.630 --> 00:28:32.190
to the industry, but you're also watching what

00:28:32.190 --> 00:28:35.309
happens at agro without your management. The

00:28:35.309 --> 00:28:37.890
cattle you selected and developed are being sold

00:28:37.890 --> 00:28:40.170
to Millington's associates in Western Canada.

00:28:40.569 --> 00:28:43.750
Years of careful genetic planning are being dismantled

00:28:43.750 --> 00:28:47.049
for short -term profit. Angelo eventually realizes

00:28:47.049 --> 00:28:49.910
his mistake and removes Millington from the operation.

00:28:50.690 --> 00:28:53.450
Seven months after leaving, you get the call

00:28:53.450 --> 00:28:56.509
that will reshape your career. Angelo wants you

00:28:56.509 --> 00:28:59.579
back. but not as an employee, as a consultant.

00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:02.680
The arrangement gives you more influence than

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:05.039
you had as manager, with better compensation

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:07.799
and the freedom to work with other operations.

00:29:08.119 --> 00:29:10.619
Your relationship with Angelo becomes closer

00:29:10.619 --> 00:29:13.819
than ever. He's like a second father, trusting

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:16.619
your judgment completely and giving you the resources

00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:19.000
to prove your theories about cattle breeding

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:22.079
and development. When Pansy produces her first

00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:25.589
calf, Agro Acres Unique, you negotiate a commission

00:29:25.589 --> 00:29:28.430
on semen sales that will provide financial security

00:29:28.430 --> 00:29:32.210
for decades. The day Pansy's pregnancy is confirmed,

00:29:32.430 --> 00:29:35.710
you make another career -defining decision. If

00:29:35.710 --> 00:29:38.390
this is a bull, I want to name him, and I want

00:29:38.390 --> 00:29:41.509
a commission on the semen sales. Angelo agrees.

00:29:42.289 --> 00:29:45.470
When Agroacres Unique is born, you own a piece

00:29:45.470 --> 00:29:47.630
of what will become one of the most popular and

00:29:47.630 --> 00:29:50.710
profitable sires of his generation. But Unique

00:29:50.710 --> 00:29:53.279
is just the beginning. Pansy produces daughters

00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:56.440
that will rewrite show ring history. Agroacres

00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:59.599
Marquis Patsy and Agroacres Marquis Xmas Pansy

00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:02.619
go grand and reserve grand champion at the 1969

00:30:02.619 --> 00:30:05.819
Royal Winterfair as four and three -year -olds.

00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:09.619
It's unprecedented. The only cow in history to

00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:11.980
produce daughters that achieve this level of

00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:16.059
success at the same show. Your $4 ,500 gamble

00:30:16.059 --> 00:30:19.299
on a nine -week -old calf has validated everything

00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:22.049
you believe about genetics, development, and

00:30:22.049 --> 00:30:24.250
the patience required to build something lasting.

00:30:24.890 --> 00:30:27.789
But your success at Agro creates opportunities

00:30:27.789 --> 00:30:30.369
that will take your career to levels you never

00:30:30.369 --> 00:30:34.609
imagined. In 1964, while maintaining your consulting

00:30:34.609 --> 00:30:37.369
relationship with Angelo, you begin working with

00:30:37.369 --> 00:30:40.130
Oak Ridges Farm and their manager, George Derrick.

00:30:40.650 --> 00:30:44.289
The owner, R .R. Dennis, has unlimited resources

00:30:44.289 --> 00:30:47.210
and an obsession with acquiring the best cattle

00:30:47.210 --> 00:30:50.730
in Canada. He wants as many good cows as possible,

00:30:51.049 --> 00:30:53.049
and he's willing to pay whatever it takes to

00:30:53.049 --> 00:30:56.710
get them. You're about to enter the most successful

00:30:56.710 --> 00:30:59.769
period of your showing career, but success will

00:30:59.769 --> 00:31:02.109
bring pressures and responsibilities that will

00:31:02.109 --> 00:31:04.190
test everything you've learned about managing

00:31:04.190 --> 00:31:08.109
people, cattle, and your own ambitions. You've

00:31:08.109 --> 00:31:10.509
reached the point where understanding Burt Stewart,

00:31:10.769 --> 00:31:13.710
the showman, requires understanding Burt Stewart,

00:31:13.910 --> 00:31:18.089
the philosopher. Because by 1965, you've developed

00:31:18.089 --> 00:31:20.680
an approach to working with cattle that's fundamentally

00:31:20.680 --> 00:31:24.319
different from most of your contemporaries. Standing

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:26.980
in the Oak Ridge's barn before dawn, preparing

00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:30.480
animals for another major show, you reflect on

00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:32.700
the principles that guide everything you do.

00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:36.680
While other showmen rely on force and intimidation

00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:39.359
to control their animals, you've discovered something

00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:42.700
revolutionary. Cattle respond better to calm

00:31:42.700 --> 00:31:46.960
confidence than to aggressive domination. I've

00:31:46.960 --> 00:31:49.819
always told 4 -H kids you have to relax. you

00:31:49.819 --> 00:31:52.000
explain to young competitors who seek your advice.

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:55.039
If you are uptight, the animal is going to know

00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:58.000
it. Don't hold them too tight. You've got to

00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.259
let the animal be herself. This philosophy didn't

00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:03.680
develop overnight. It emerged from thousands

00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:06.359
of hours spent with cattle, ranging from gentle

00:32:06.359 --> 00:32:09.420
4 -H calves to difficult breeding animals with

00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:12.900
strong personalities. You've learned that every

00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:15.420
animal has a temperament, and your job isn't

00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:17.500
to break them. it's to work with their natural

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:21.960
tendencies to achieve mutual success. Your favorite

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:24.839
cow, Sonwool Reflection Bee, exemplifies this

00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:28.279
partnership approach. You show her 25 times and

00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:31.220
win 21, but what makes her special isn't her

00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:34.539
confirmation, it's her attitude. She wasn't the

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:37.160
best Holstein cow I ever led, but she was the

00:32:37.160 --> 00:32:40.180
closest thing to a human, you remember. I could

00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:42.440
throw the lead strap over her neck, and she'd

00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:45.039
follow me through the crowd. When Bee enters

00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:48.299
the show ring, something magical happens. She

00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:51.039
put her head and her ears up and said, I'm here

00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:54.660
to win. She was a dream to work with. You're

00:32:54.660 --> 00:32:57.140
describing a level of communication between human

00:32:57.140 --> 00:32:59.660
and animal that most people never experience,

00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:03.039
a partnership built on mutual respect and understanding.

00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:06.880
Your approach to showing extends beyond animal

00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:10.200
handling to ring psychology and competitive strategy.

00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:13.539
You understand that judges are evaluating not

00:33:13.539 --> 00:33:15.920
just the cattle, but the entire presentation,

00:33:16.180 --> 00:33:18.920
the showman's confidence, the animal's response,

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:21.920
and the overall impression created by the partnership.

00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:25.559
You've learned to read judges' preferences and

00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:29.099
adapt your presentation accordingly. Some judges

00:33:29.099 --> 00:33:31.980
value dairy character above all else. Others

00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:35.119
prioritize mammary systems or structural correctness.

00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:38.339
Your job is to emphasize your animal's strengths

00:33:38.339 --> 00:33:41.420
while minimizing weaknesses. all while maintaining

00:33:41.420 --> 00:33:44.099
the calm confidence that keeps both you and your

00:33:44.099 --> 00:33:47.240
cattle performing at peak levels. But you're

00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:50.400
not keeping this knowledge to yourself. Every

00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:52.700
time you work with 4 -H members, you're passing

00:33:52.700 --> 00:33:55.819
on lessons that extend far beyond show ring success.

00:33:57.200 --> 00:33:59.880
You can't just take your 4 -H project and go

00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:02.220
out in the ring, you tell them. You've got to

00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:04.539
do some homework with her at home. You've got

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:06.420
to know what's wrong with them, and you've got

00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:09.000
to lead and correct the mistakes they have in

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:12.710
confirmation. This teaching reflects your deeper

00:34:12.710 --> 00:34:15.750
understanding that success in any competitive

00:34:15.750 --> 00:34:19.710
arena requires preparation, patience, and the

00:34:19.710 --> 00:34:22.210
willingness to work on fundamentals until they

00:34:22.210 --> 00:34:25.909
become automatic. You're not just creating better

00:34:25.909 --> 00:34:28.530
showmen. You're developing people who understand

00:34:28.530 --> 00:34:31.170
that excellence comes from consistent effort

00:34:31.170 --> 00:34:34.670
applied over time. Your relationship with difficult

00:34:34.670 --> 00:34:37.550
animals reveals another aspect of your philosophy.

00:34:38.090 --> 00:34:40.969
Don't get me wrong. The bad temperament ones

00:34:40.969 --> 00:34:44.349
are bad, you acknowledge. But sometimes if you

00:34:44.349 --> 00:34:46.889
take a bad one, take her out and work with her

00:34:46.889 --> 00:34:49.570
and relax her, you can get a lot of things accomplished.

00:34:50.550 --> 00:34:53.730
This approach to problem solving, seeing difficult

00:34:53.730 --> 00:34:56.650
situations as opportunities for improvement rather

00:34:56.650 --> 00:34:59.570
than obstacles to avoid, explains your success

00:34:59.570 --> 00:35:02.550
with operations like Agroacres and Oak Ridges.

00:35:02.909 --> 00:35:05.949
You don't expect perfection. You work systematically

00:35:05.949 --> 00:35:09.409
to develop whatever potential exists. As a judge,

00:35:09.570 --> 00:35:11.789
you apply the same philosophical consistency.

00:35:12.449 --> 00:35:16.090
I always said down deep in my heart, nobody needs

00:35:16.090 --> 00:35:18.989
to change Leedsmen if I am judging, you reflect.

00:35:19.489 --> 00:35:22.349
I want to put the best ones first. It doesn't

00:35:22.349 --> 00:35:25.489
matter if the same man wins them all. This commitment

00:35:25.489 --> 00:35:28.730
to judging cattle rather than politics sets you

00:35:28.730 --> 00:35:30.789
apart from officials who make decisions based

00:35:30.789 --> 00:35:33.309
on who's leading rather than what's being led.

00:35:33.489 --> 00:35:36.130
It's a principled stance that sometimes creates

00:35:36.130 --> 00:35:39.599
controversy. but ultimately builds respect for

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:42.940
your integrity and expertise. Your motivation

00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:45.619
for sharing knowledge traces back to your own

00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:48.780
development. Many people gave me quite a bit

00:35:48.780 --> 00:35:51.559
of their time, you remember. I played a lot of

00:35:51.559 --> 00:35:54.239
softball when I was young, and my coach actually

00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:56.539
drove out to the farm and picked me up to play

00:35:56.539 --> 00:35:59.139
ball. My parents didn't have time to take me.

00:35:59.619 --> 00:36:02.619
The men who invested in your development, Jim

00:36:02.619 --> 00:36:06.170
McCullough, Dave Houck, J .M. Fraser, Edmus Campbell,

00:36:06.369 --> 00:36:09.510
Owen Richards, created an obligation that shapes

00:36:09.510 --> 00:36:12.610
your entire career. Every time you teach a young

00:36:12.610 --> 00:36:15.110
person proper showing technique or help them

00:36:15.110 --> 00:36:17.949
understand cattle evaluation, you're repaying

00:36:17.949 --> 00:36:20.130
a debt to the mentors who believed in your potential.

00:36:20.849 --> 00:36:23.769
This sense of obligation extends to your community

00:36:23.769 --> 00:36:27.030
involvement beyond agriculture. Twenty years

00:36:27.030 --> 00:36:29.670
of coaching fast -pitch softball, winning seven

00:36:29.670 --> 00:36:32.769
Ontario Championships, demonstrates your commitment

00:36:32.769 --> 00:36:35.789
to developing young people in all aspects of

00:36:35.789 --> 00:36:38.789
their lives. The same principles that create

00:36:38.789 --> 00:36:41.610
successful showmen, discipline, preparation,

00:36:42.010 --> 00:36:45.110
teamwork, and grace under pressure, apply equally

00:36:45.110 --> 00:36:48.630
to athletics. Your wife Hazel's parallel involvement

00:36:48.630 --> 00:36:51.489
as a 4 -H leader for homemaking creates a family

00:36:51.489 --> 00:36:54.789
culture centered on service and education. Together,

00:36:55.050 --> 00:36:57.630
you're demonstrating that success carries responsibilities,

00:36:57.969 --> 00:37:00.530
that people who achieve prominence in their fields

00:37:00.530 --> 00:37:03.090
have obligations to help others develop their

00:37:03.090 --> 00:37:07.329
own potential. Standing in your barn in 1975,

00:37:07.869 --> 00:37:10.550
surrounded by champion cattle and reflecting

00:37:10.550 --> 00:37:14.050
on two decades of competitive success, you realize

00:37:14.050 --> 00:37:16.429
that your greatest satisfaction doesn't come

00:37:16.429 --> 00:37:19.449
from the trophies or the prize money. It comes

00:37:19.449 --> 00:37:22.230
from seeing young people develop confidence and

00:37:22.230 --> 00:37:25.110
skill, from watching them apply lessons learned

00:37:25.110 --> 00:37:27.789
in show rings to challenges they'll face throughout

00:37:27.789 --> 00:37:31.340
their lives. The teenager who forgot his white

00:37:31.340 --> 00:37:33.880
pants has become a teacher whose influence will

00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:36.400
extend far beyond his own competitive career.

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:40.099
But your greatest challenges and your most lasting

00:37:40.099 --> 00:37:43.880
contributions are still ahead. November 1985.

00:37:46.940 --> 00:37:49.559
You stand in the barn at the Royal Winter Fair,

00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:53.199
34 years after your first victory as high individual

00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:56.360
in the youth judging competition. Around you,

00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:59.139
The most expensive and carefully prepared cattle

00:37:59.139 --> 00:38:01.480
in North America are being readied for what many

00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:03.900
consider the most prestigious dairy show in the

00:38:03.900 --> 00:38:07.800
world. But this year feels different. The cattle

00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:11.219
are exceptional. Your preparation has been meticulous,

00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:13.820
and everything you've learned over three decades

00:38:13.820 --> 00:38:16.940
of competition is crystallizing into what might

00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:20.739
be the defining moment of your career. Your partnership

00:38:20.739 --> 00:38:23.579
with Oak Ridges has evolved into something extraordinary.

00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:27.320
RR Dennis' unlimited budget, george derrick's

00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:30.039
management expertise and your eye for cattle

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:32.699
have created a combination that dominates show

00:38:32.699 --> 00:38:36.260
rings across north america but domination brings

00:38:36.260 --> 00:38:39.539
pressure everyone expects you to win and anything

00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:43.480
less than championship becomes failure you're

00:38:43.480 --> 00:38:45.739
working with eric nielsen and barry quickfall

00:38:45.739 --> 00:38:49.059
the two best cowmen you've ever encountered their

00:38:49.059 --> 00:38:51.460
skill in preparing cattle while you handle ring

00:38:51.460 --> 00:38:54.599
presentation creates a team efficiency that your

00:38:54.599 --> 00:38:57.940
competitors struggle to match. Every animal is

00:38:57.940 --> 00:39:00.820
conditioned to perfection, every detail of presentation

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:04.800
calculated for maximum impact. The stakes couldn't

00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:07.559
be higher. The Royal Winterfair represents more

00:39:07.559 --> 00:39:10.360
than just another show. It's where reputations

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:13.719
are cemented and legends are born. Your record

00:39:13.719 --> 00:39:15.920
of championships here is already impressive,

00:39:16.219 --> 00:39:18.760
but you're approaching territory that no other

00:39:18.760 --> 00:39:22.239
showman has ever reached. Your routine has become

00:39:22.239 --> 00:39:25.880
ritualized through years of refinement. You arrive

00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:28.780
at the barn hours before the show begins, checking

00:39:28.780 --> 00:39:31.539
each animal, making final adjustments to their

00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:34.699
conditioning, and visualizing every moment of

00:39:34.699 --> 00:39:38.260
ring presentation. The calm confidence that has

00:39:38.260 --> 00:39:41.119
become your trademark isn't accidental. It's

00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:43.840
the result of preparation so thorough that surprises

00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:46.860
become impossible. but you're also carrying the

00:39:46.860 --> 00:39:49.380
weight of expectations that extend beyond your

00:39:49.380 --> 00:39:53.519
own ambitions. Oak Ridge's reputation, the trust

00:39:53.519 --> 00:39:55.920
of cattle owners who've invested millions of

00:39:55.920 --> 00:39:58.260
dollars in your judgment, and the example you're

00:39:58.260 --> 00:40:00.519
setting for young people who study your every

00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:03.679
move. All of these responsibilities converge

00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:07.780
in these moments before competition begins. The

00:40:07.780 --> 00:40:10.059
competition you're facing represents the best

00:40:10.059 --> 00:40:13.869
genetics and preparation money can buy. Operations

00:40:13.869 --> 00:40:16.150
from across North America have brought their

00:40:16.150 --> 00:40:19.530
absolute best animals, prepared by showmen who've

00:40:19.530 --> 00:40:22.070
studied your techniques and developed strategies

00:40:22.070 --> 00:40:25.369
specifically designed to beat you. The target

00:40:25.369 --> 00:40:28.630
on your back has never been larger. As classes

00:40:28.630 --> 00:40:31.170
begin, you recognize that something special is

00:40:31.170 --> 00:40:33.889
happening. The cattle are responding perfectly,

00:40:34.230 --> 00:40:37.429
judges are recognizing quality immediately, and

00:40:37.429 --> 00:40:39.530
the rhythms of competition are flowing in your

00:40:39.530 --> 00:40:42.900
favor. Class after class, the purple and gold

00:40:42.900 --> 00:40:45.800
banners accumulate. Junior champion, reserve

00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:49.079
champion, grand champion. But you're not just

00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:51.679
winning, you're demonstrating mastery at a level

00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:54.480
that transforms competition into artistry. The

00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:57.019
way you position cattle for maximum advantage,

00:40:57.260 --> 00:41:00.179
the split -second timing of your movements, the

00:41:00.179 --> 00:41:03.260
communication between you and your animals, everything

00:41:03.260 --> 00:41:06.480
has reached a precision that separates true masters

00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:10.179
from merely skilled competitors. The Grand Championship

00:41:10.179 --> 00:41:12.639
class represents the culmination of everything.

00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:15.619
You're leading an animal that you've helped select,

00:41:15.880 --> 00:41:18.699
develop, and prepare specifically for this moment.

00:41:19.619 --> 00:41:22.639
Every aspect of her conditioning reflects your

00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:25.519
understanding of what judges value, what audiences

00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:28.679
appreciate, and what separates good cattle from

00:41:28.679 --> 00:41:31.480
great ones. Standing in the ring as the judge

00:41:31.480 --> 00:41:34.480
makes his final evaluation, you experience the

00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:38.019
kind of moment that defines careers. Decades

00:41:38.019 --> 00:41:40.980
of learning, Thousands of hours of practice and

00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:44.000
the accumulated wisdom of every mentor who invested

00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:46.699
in your development converge in these few minutes

00:41:46.699 --> 00:41:50.280
of competition. The judge's decision will either

00:41:50.280 --> 00:41:52.960
validate your approach to cattle, competition,

00:41:53.219 --> 00:41:57.099
and life itself, or demonstrate that even the

00:41:57.099 --> 00:42:00.099
most careful preparation sometimes isn't enough.

00:42:00.619 --> 00:42:03.679
But you've learned that outcomes, while important,

00:42:03.900 --> 00:42:06.360
are less significant than the knowledge that

00:42:06.360 --> 00:42:08.840
you've prepared completely and competed with

00:42:08.840 --> 00:42:12.260
integrity. What you don't fully realize in this

00:42:12.260 --> 00:42:14.619
moment is that you're approaching a milestone

00:42:14.619 --> 00:42:17.900
that will likely never be equaled in modern competition.

00:42:18.340 --> 00:42:21.659
The combination of your natural talent, systematic

00:42:21.659 --> 00:42:24.539
development, and the opportunities created by

00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:26.639
your generation's approach to showing cattle

00:42:26.639 --> 00:42:29.739
has created conditions that may never be repeated.

00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:33.840
The judge raises his hand, pointing toward your

00:42:33.840 --> 00:42:37.590
animal for grand champion. It's your 15th Royal

00:42:37.590 --> 00:42:40.789
Winterfair Grand Championship, one short of a

00:42:40.789 --> 00:42:43.670
record that will stand as testimony to a career

00:42:43.670 --> 00:42:46.409
unlike any other in the history of dairy cattle

00:42:46.409 --> 00:42:50.250
competition. But even as the crowd applauds and

00:42:50.250 --> 00:42:53.150
photographers capture the moment, you're already

00:42:53.150 --> 00:42:56.610
thinking about what comes next. Because for someone

00:42:56.610 --> 00:42:58.789
with your philosophy of continuous improvement

00:42:58.789 --> 00:43:02.070
and service to others, Each success creates new

00:43:02.070 --> 00:43:04.969
responsibilities and greater opportunities to

00:43:04.969 --> 00:43:07.550
influence the industry you've devoted your life

00:43:07.550 --> 00:43:10.590
to developing. The teenager who forgot his white

00:43:10.590 --> 00:43:13.010
pants is about to become the most successful

00:43:13.010 --> 00:43:16.070
showman in the history of one of North America's

00:43:16.070 --> 00:43:19.889
most prestigious agricultural competitions. But

00:43:19.889 --> 00:43:22.150
the real test of your legacy won't be measured

00:43:22.150 --> 00:43:24.809
in championships won. It will be measured in

00:43:24.809 --> 00:43:27.539
the influence you have on the generations of

00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:30.219
agricultural leaders who will follow in your

00:43:30.219 --> 00:43:36.059
path. November 1992. You walk toward the show

00:43:36.059 --> 00:43:38.820
ring leading Duncan Bell, the Jersey cow you've

00:43:38.820 --> 00:43:41.199
fallen in love with, the animal that represents

00:43:41.199 --> 00:43:43.920
everything you understand about genetics, preparation,

00:43:44.360 --> 00:43:46.920
and the partnership between human and animal.

00:43:47.280 --> 00:43:50.599
This isn't just another championship class. This

00:43:50.599 --> 00:43:54.119
is your opportunity to make history. Duncan Bell

00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:57.079
embodies your philosophy of working with cattle.

00:43:57.199 --> 00:44:00.280
You first judged her at World Dairy Expo in 1991

00:44:00.280 --> 00:44:03.380
as a three -year -old, recognizing immediately

00:44:03.380 --> 00:44:06.960
that she represented something special. When

00:44:06.960 --> 00:44:09.699
you placed her grand champion at Madison, Lorne

00:44:09.699 --> 00:44:12.300
Ella of Rock Ella Farms approached you with an

00:44:12.300 --> 00:44:14.260
offer that would define both of your careers.

00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:18.000
You like this cow as much as I do. I want you

00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:20.840
to lead her the rest of her life. The partnership

00:44:20.840 --> 00:44:23.800
that developed between you and Duncan Bell demonstrates

00:44:23.800 --> 00:44:26.820
everything you've learned about animal psychology

00:44:26.820 --> 00:44:31.000
and competitive preparation. She isn't just a

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:33.800
superior animal. She's a cow that understands

00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:36.519
the show ring, that responds to the energy of

00:44:36.519 --> 00:44:39.260
competition, and that performs her best when

00:44:39.260 --> 00:44:42.039
the stakes are highest. Walking into the ring,

00:44:42.199 --> 00:44:45.260
you're carrying the weight of history. 15 Grand

00:44:45.260 --> 00:44:47.940
Championships at the Royal Winterfair represent

00:44:47.940 --> 00:44:51.699
a record that has stood for years. but 16 championships

00:44:51.699 --> 00:44:54.099
would establish a milestone that will likely

00:44:54.099 --> 00:44:57.719
never be equaled in modern competition. As the

00:44:57.719 --> 00:45:00.400
judge evaluates the class, you demonstrate the

00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:02.880
calm confidence that has become your trademark.

00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:06.980
Duncan Bell responds perfectly, setting up precisely,

00:45:07.300 --> 00:45:10.059
maintaining her position without tension, and

00:45:10.059 --> 00:45:12.760
displaying the kind of presence that separates

00:45:12.760 --> 00:45:16.789
great show animals from merely good ones. Every

00:45:16.789 --> 00:45:19.050
aspect of this moment reflects the accumulated

00:45:19.050 --> 00:45:22.769
wisdom of 40 years in competition. The way you

00:45:22.769 --> 00:45:25.630
position Bell for maximum advantage, the timing

00:45:25.630 --> 00:45:28.309
of your movements, your ability to read the judge's

00:45:28.309 --> 00:45:30.849
preferences and adapt your presentation accordingly,

00:45:31.289 --> 00:45:34.050
everything has reached a level of mastery that

00:45:34.050 --> 00:45:37.590
transforms technical skill into artistry. The

00:45:37.590 --> 00:45:40.710
judge's evaluation seems to take forever, but

00:45:40.710 --> 00:45:42.750
you've learned to use these moments productively.

00:45:43.789 --> 00:45:46.309
Instead of focusing on outcomes you can't control,

00:45:46.550 --> 00:45:49.429
you concentrate on executing perfectly every

00:45:49.429 --> 00:45:52.050
element of presentation that remains within your

00:45:52.050 --> 00:45:55.750
influence. When the judge points toward Duncan

00:45:55.750 --> 00:45:58.130
Bell for Grand Champion, you're experiencing

00:45:58.130 --> 00:46:01.429
more than just another victory. This is your

00:46:01.429 --> 00:46:04.110
16th Grand Championship at the Royal Winterfair,

00:46:04.230 --> 00:46:07.030
a record that represents not just personal achievement,

00:46:07.250 --> 00:46:10.590
but validation of an entire approach to agriculture,

00:46:10.929 --> 00:46:15.099
competition, and life itself. But even as photographers

00:46:15.099 --> 00:46:18.079
capture the historic moment and crowds celebrate

00:46:18.079 --> 00:46:20.639
your achievement, you're already thinking about

00:46:20.639 --> 00:46:23.300
what this success means for the broader agricultural

00:46:23.300 --> 00:46:26.599
community. The record you've just set demonstrates

00:46:26.599 --> 00:46:30.199
what becomes possible when natural talent combines

00:46:30.199 --> 00:46:33.159
with systematic development, continuous learning,

00:46:33.360 --> 00:46:37.820
and the guidance of exceptional mentors. Later,

00:46:37.920 --> 00:46:40.519
standing in the barn with Duncan Bell after the

00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:43.289
formal presentations have concluded, you reflect

00:46:43.289 --> 00:46:45.289
on the journey that brought you to this moment.

00:46:45.909 --> 00:46:49.090
The terrified teenager who forgot his white pants

00:46:49.090 --> 00:46:51.369
has become the most successful showman in the

00:46:51.369 --> 00:46:53.650
history of one of North America's most prestigious

00:46:53.650 --> 00:46:57.130
agricultural competitions. But the real significance

00:46:57.130 --> 00:47:00.250
of this achievement extends beyond personal recognition.

00:47:01.429 --> 00:47:04.489
Your success validates an approach to agriculture

00:47:04.489 --> 00:47:07.590
that emphasizes continuous learning, respect

00:47:07.590 --> 00:47:10.409
for animals, and the importance of sharing knowledge

00:47:10.409 --> 00:47:13.960
with the next generation. The techniques you've

00:47:13.960 --> 00:47:16.960
developed, the relationships you've built, and

00:47:16.960 --> 00:47:19.639
the example you've set will influence the dairy

00:47:19.639 --> 00:47:22.639
industry for decades to come. Duncan Bell's championship

00:47:22.639 --> 00:47:25.260
represents more than just superior genetics and

00:47:25.260 --> 00:47:28.119
preparation. It demonstrates what becomes possible

00:47:28.119 --> 00:47:30.780
when humans and animals work together as true

00:47:30.780 --> 00:47:35.559
partners. The calm confidence that has defined

00:47:35.559 --> 00:47:38.389
your career isn't just a showing technique. It's

00:47:38.389 --> 00:47:40.690
a philosophy of leadership that applies to every

00:47:40.690 --> 00:47:45.369
aspect of agricultural life. Your 16 Royal Winterfair

00:47:45.369 --> 00:47:48.110
Grand Championships establish you as the most

00:47:48.110 --> 00:47:51.090
successful showman of your generation, but you

00:47:51.090 --> 00:47:53.630
understand that records exist to inspire others

00:47:53.630 --> 00:47:56.389
rather than to create permanent monuments to

00:47:56.389 --> 00:47:59.469
individual achievement. As you prepare to leave

00:47:59.469 --> 00:48:02.210
the Royal Winterfair with your historic 16th

00:48:02.210 --> 00:48:04.969
championship, you're already thinking about the

00:48:04.969 --> 00:48:08.130
young people who watched your performance. who

00:48:08.130 --> 00:48:10.929
studied your techniques, and who will carry forward

00:48:10.929 --> 00:48:13.170
the principles you've demonstrated throughout

00:48:13.170 --> 00:48:16.369
your career. The record you've established tonight

00:48:16.369 --> 00:48:19.869
will likely stand permanently, permanently, but

00:48:19.869 --> 00:48:22.630
its real value lies in the inspiration it provides

00:48:22.630 --> 00:48:25.570
to agricultural leaders who understand that excellence

00:48:25.570 --> 00:48:28.650
comes from consistent effort applied over decades,

00:48:28.909 --> 00:48:31.510
from learning continuously from the best available

00:48:31.510 --> 00:48:34.349
teachers, and from sharing knowledge generously

00:48:34.349 --> 00:48:37.719
with those who follow. The teenager who once

00:48:37.719 --> 00:48:40.840
scrambled for white show clothes has just completed

00:48:40.840 --> 00:48:43.739
the most successful showing career in the history

00:48:43.739 --> 00:48:47.780
of Canadian agriculture. But as you'll discover

00:48:47.780 --> 00:48:50.559
in the years that follow, your greatest contributions

00:48:50.559 --> 00:48:53.960
to the dairy industry are still ahead, and they'll

00:48:53.960 --> 00:48:56.639
be measured not in championships won, but in

00:48:56.639 --> 00:48:59.780
the lives you influence and the knowledge you

00:48:59.780 --> 00:49:03.199
share. The months following your record -setting

00:49:03.199 --> 00:49:06.480
16th Royal Winter Fair Championship, bring a

00:49:06.480 --> 00:49:09.079
shift in perspective that you didn't anticipate.

00:49:09.599 --> 00:49:12.840
Standing in your farm office, surrounded by decades

00:49:12.840 --> 00:49:16.380
of ribbons, trophies, and photographs, you realize

00:49:16.380 --> 00:49:18.639
that reaching the pinnacle of competitive success

00:49:18.639 --> 00:49:22.139
creates new responsibilities and different opportunities

00:49:22.139 --> 00:49:26.159
for influence. The dairy industry recognizes

00:49:26.159 --> 00:49:28.559
the significance of your achievement immediately.

00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:32.139
Agricultural publications across North America

00:49:32.139 --> 00:49:35.530
feature stories about your career analyzing not

00:49:35.530 --> 00:49:38.409
just your competitive success, but the techniques

00:49:38.409 --> 00:49:42.389
and philosophy that made it possible. Young showmen

00:49:42.389 --> 00:49:45.449
study videos of your ring presentations, trying

00:49:45.449 --> 00:49:47.849
to decode the secrets of your calm confidence

00:49:47.849 --> 00:49:51.150
and effective animal handling. But you understand

00:49:51.150 --> 00:49:54.110
that your real legacy won't be measured in championships

00:49:54.110 --> 00:49:56.949
won. It will be determined by how effectively

00:49:56.949 --> 00:49:59.730
you share the knowledge you've accumulated over

00:49:59.730 --> 00:50:02.590
four decades of competition and cattle development.

00:50:03.289 --> 00:50:05.809
Your commitment to youth development, already

00:50:05.809 --> 00:50:08.789
strong throughout your career, intensifies after

00:50:08.789 --> 00:50:12.530
achieving your showing goals. The Canadian 4

00:50:12.530 --> 00:50:14.929
-H Classic, the program you helped establish,

00:50:15.289 --> 00:50:18.090
becomes a vehicle for teaching young people the

00:50:18.090 --> 00:50:20.090
fundamental principles that have guided your

00:50:20.090 --> 00:50:24.170
own success. Patience, observation, and the calm

00:50:24.170 --> 00:50:27.030
confidence that separates good competitors from

00:50:27.030 --> 00:50:32.210
great ones. Every year from 1990 to 2017, you

00:50:32.210 --> 00:50:34.349
and Hazel make the journey to Madison, Wisconsin,

00:50:34.690 --> 00:50:37.710
chaperoning Team Ontario to the National Dairy

00:50:37.710 --> 00:50:40.570
Cattle Judging Competition at World Dairy Expo.

00:50:40.769 --> 00:50:43.449
The drive becomes a mobile classroom where you

00:50:43.449 --> 00:50:46.369
share decades of accumulated wisdom about cattle

00:50:46.369 --> 00:50:49.769
evaluation, ring psychology, and the mental preparation

00:50:49.769 --> 00:50:53.429
required for high -level competition. The young

00:50:53.429 --> 00:50:55.929
people you coach don't just learn judging techniques.

00:50:56.289 --> 00:50:58.969
They absorb your philosophy about agriculture

00:50:58.969 --> 00:51:02.440
and life itself. When you tell them that success

00:51:02.440 --> 00:51:04.880
comes from studying those who excel at their

00:51:04.880 --> 00:51:08.179
trade, you're passing on the same lesson that

00:51:08.179 --> 00:51:10.940
shaped your own development as a teenager watching

00:51:10.940 --> 00:51:13.940
Johnny Moles show Ayrshire cattle with such skill

00:51:13.940 --> 00:51:17.420
that you dreamed of matching his ability. The

00:51:17.420 --> 00:51:19.880
Ontario Inter -County 4 -H Judging Competition,

00:51:20.260 --> 00:51:23.659
which you established in 1990, becomes more than

00:51:23.659 --> 00:51:26.659
just a contest. It's a systematic approach to

00:51:26.659 --> 00:51:28.860
developing the next generation of agricultural

00:51:28.860 --> 00:51:32.949
leaders. The top four contestants earn the World

00:51:32.949 --> 00:51:36.210
Dairy Expo trip, creating incentive for excellence

00:51:36.210 --> 00:51:39.090
while ensuring that your influence extends far

00:51:39.090 --> 00:51:42.170
beyond your own competitive career. Industry

00:51:42.170 --> 00:51:44.929
recognition follows your record -setting achievements.

00:51:45.349 --> 00:51:49.250
In 2005, you received the Klusendorf Trophy,

00:51:49.389 --> 00:51:52.530
the most prestigious award in dairy cattle showing.

00:51:52.809 --> 00:51:55.510
The announcement comes as a complete surprise,

00:51:55.789 --> 00:51:58.250
but it validates everything you've believed about

00:51:58.250 --> 00:52:01.480
preparation, integrity, and service to the industry.

00:52:01.739 --> 00:52:04.159
Standing before your peers at the awards ceremony,

00:52:04.480 --> 00:52:06.940
you understand that this recognition represents

00:52:06.940 --> 00:52:10.619
more than just personal achievement. It acknowledges

00:52:10.619 --> 00:52:13.539
an approach to agriculture that emphasizes continuous

00:52:13.539 --> 00:52:16.760
learning, respect for animals, and the obligation

00:52:16.760 --> 00:52:19.980
to share knowledge with those who follow. In

00:52:19.980 --> 00:52:23.300
2009, the Royal Winter Fair appoints you as a

00:52:23.300 --> 00:52:26.500
lifetime honorary governor, recognizing not just

00:52:26.500 --> 00:52:29.420
your competitive success, but your broader contributions

00:52:29.420 --> 00:52:33.079
to Canadian agriculture. The honour carries special

00:52:33.079 --> 00:52:35.639
meaning because the Royal has been central to

00:52:35.639 --> 00:52:38.699
your story since that nervous 17 -year -old won

00:52:38.699 --> 00:52:43.119
the Youth Judging Competition in 1951. Your induction

00:52:43.119 --> 00:52:45.719
into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in

00:52:45.719 --> 00:52:49.360
2017 completes a trilogy of recognition that

00:52:49.360 --> 00:52:53.219
spans your entire career. But even as these honours

00:52:53.219 --> 00:52:56.199
accumulate, you remain focused on the work that

00:52:56.199 --> 00:52:59.030
has always mattered most, teaching young people

00:52:59.030 --> 00:53:01.630
the principles that create not just successful

00:53:01.630 --> 00:53:04.630
competitors, but thoughtful, ethical leaders.

00:53:05.449 --> 00:53:08.570
Your influence extends beyond agriculture through

00:53:08.570 --> 00:53:11.750
20 years of coaching fast -pitch softball. Seven

00:53:11.750 --> 00:53:14.809
Ontario Championships, five with boys teams,

00:53:14.969 --> 00:53:17.789
two with girls teams, demonstrate that the principles

00:53:17.789 --> 00:53:20.670
of preparation, teamwork, and grace under pressure

00:53:20.670 --> 00:53:24.639
apply equally to athletics and agriculture. The

00:53:24.639 --> 00:53:26.840
Milton Chamber of Commerce recognizes this broader

00:53:26.840 --> 00:53:30.239
community service in 1997, naming you Citizen

00:53:30.239 --> 00:53:33.500
of the Year. The award acknowledges three decades

00:53:33.500 --> 00:53:36.179
of volunteer work that includes hospital foundation

00:53:36.179 --> 00:53:39.539
leadership, church service, and countless hours

00:53:39.539 --> 00:53:42.159
invested in developing young people across multiple

00:53:42.159 --> 00:53:46.340
activities. But perhaps the most meaningful recognition

00:53:46.340 --> 00:53:49.940
comes from seeing former 4 -H members apply lessons

00:53:49.940 --> 00:53:52.800
learned in your programs to successful careers

00:53:52.800 --> 00:53:56.260
throughout the agricultural industry. Some become

00:53:56.260 --> 00:53:59.099
judges at major shows. Others assume leadership

00:53:59.099 --> 00:54:01.820
positions in breed associations, agricultural

00:54:01.820 --> 00:54:06.079
organizations, and farming operations. One young

00:54:06.079 --> 00:54:08.539
woman you coached becomes a lawyer at the largest

00:54:08.539 --> 00:54:11.619
law firm in Toronto. carrying forward the analytical

00:54:11.619 --> 00:54:14.239
thinking and communication skills developed through

00:54:14.239 --> 00:54:17.340
livestock judging. Your children and grandchildren

00:54:17.340 --> 00:54:20.280
continue the family tradition of 4 -H involvement

00:54:20.280 --> 00:54:23.699
and Royal Winter Fair success. Watching them

00:54:23.699 --> 00:54:26.559
compete in programs you helped establish creates

00:54:26.559 --> 00:54:30.019
a special satisfaction that transcends any personal

00:54:30.019 --> 00:54:32.780
achievement. The values you learned from your

00:54:32.780 --> 00:54:36.079
own family – hard work, integrity, service to

00:54:36.079 --> 00:54:38.360
others – continue through another generation.

00:54:39.070 --> 00:54:41.869
The teenager who forgot his white pants has become

00:54:41.869 --> 00:54:44.989
a pillar of Canadian agriculture. But the transformation

00:54:44.989 --> 00:54:47.909
didn't happen overnight. It developed through

00:54:47.909 --> 00:54:50.289
decades of careful attention to fundamentals,

00:54:50.630 --> 00:54:53.630
systematic learning from the best available teachers,

00:54:53.889 --> 00:54:56.690
and consistent application of principles that

00:54:56.690 --> 00:55:00.429
create excellence in any field. Your legacy is

00:55:00.429 --> 00:55:03.309
measured not in championships won, though 16

00:55:03.309 --> 00:55:06.150
Royal Winterfair Grand Championships represents

00:55:06.150 --> 00:55:09.679
an unprecedented achievement. It's measured in

00:55:09.679 --> 00:55:11.659
the influence you've had on thousands of young

00:55:11.659 --> 00:55:14.480
people who learn that success comes from preparation,

00:55:14.840 --> 00:55:18.699
that excellence requires patience, and that knowledge

00:55:18.699 --> 00:55:21.579
becomes valuable only when it's shared with others.

00:55:22.619 --> 00:55:25.980
Today, nearly two decades after your death in

00:55:25.980 --> 00:55:29.519
February 2018, your influence on the dairy industry

00:55:29.519 --> 00:55:32.820
continues in ways that extend far beyond competitive

00:55:32.820 --> 00:55:36.599
showing. The principles you demonstrated, systematic

00:55:36.599 --> 00:55:39.389
preparation, calm confidence under pressure,

00:55:39.510 --> 00:55:41.909
and generous sharing of knowledge have become

00:55:41.909 --> 00:55:44.510
embedded in how North American agriculture approaches

00:55:44.510 --> 00:55:48.349
both competition and education. The Canadian

00:55:48.349 --> 00:55:51.969
4 -H Classic, now supported by TD Bank, Holstein

00:55:51.969 --> 00:55:55.190
Canada, and Cemex, attracts participants from

00:55:55.190 --> 00:55:58.110
across the country. Young people compete not

00:55:58.110 --> 00:56:00.710
just for ribbons and trophies, but for the opportunity

00:56:00.710 --> 00:56:03.469
to experience the kind of comprehensive agricultural

00:56:03.469 --> 00:56:06.590
education you believed every farm kid deserved.

00:56:07.320 --> 00:56:10.360
Your approach to judging, evaluating cattle rather

00:56:10.360 --> 00:56:13.139
than politics, maintaining consistency regardless

00:56:13.139 --> 00:56:16.239
of who's leading, influenced a generation of

00:56:16.239 --> 00:56:18.880
officials who carry forward your commitment to

00:56:18.880 --> 00:56:22.119
integrity. When judges today explain their decisions

00:56:22.119 --> 00:56:24.920
based on functional anatomy and genetic merit

00:56:24.920 --> 00:56:28.119
rather than personal relationships, they're applying

00:56:28.119 --> 00:56:30.760
principles you demonstrated throughout your career.

00:56:31.219 --> 00:56:34.360
The showing techniques you help develop and refine

00:56:34.360 --> 00:56:37.710
continue to evolve. but the foundational principles

00:56:37.710 --> 00:56:41.750
remain unchanged. Successful showmen still emphasize

00:56:41.750 --> 00:56:45.170
the calm confidence you made famous, the meticulous

00:56:45.170 --> 00:56:48.050
preparation you insisted upon, and the respectful

00:56:48.050 --> 00:56:50.829
partnership between human and animal that defined

00:56:50.829 --> 00:56:54.409
your greatest achievements. Barry Quickfall and

00:56:54.409 --> 00:56:56.869
Eric Nielsen, the fitters you considered the

00:56:56.869 --> 00:56:59.309
best you ever worked with, trained others who

00:56:59.309 --> 00:57:01.510
carry forward the standards of cattle preparation

00:57:01.510 --> 00:57:04.909
you helped establish. The chain of knowledge

00:57:04.909 --> 00:57:08.050
transfer, from Edmis Campbell and Owen Richards

00:57:08.050 --> 00:57:11.610
to you, from you to the next generation, continues

00:57:11.610 --> 00:57:15.329
in dairy barns across North America. Agricultural

00:57:15.329 --> 00:57:17.989
education programs incorporate your philosophy

00:57:17.989 --> 00:57:21.809
of learning from successful practitioners. Students

00:57:21.809 --> 00:57:24.349
study not just technical skills, but the mental

00:57:24.349 --> 00:57:27.710
approach that separates good stockmen from great

00:57:27.710 --> 00:57:31.090
ones. Your emphasis on observation, patience,

00:57:31.679 --> 00:57:34.579
and continuous learning has become standard curriculum

00:57:34.579 --> 00:57:37.780
in livestock management courses. Your international

00:57:37.780 --> 00:57:40.019
influence developed through judging assignments

00:57:40.019 --> 00:57:43.239
in 16 countries helped establish North American

00:57:43.239 --> 00:57:45.719
standards for cattle evaluation and preparation

00:57:45.719 --> 00:57:49.320
worldwide. The techniques you demonstrated in

00:57:49.320 --> 00:57:52.039
Mexico, Brazil, and other countries influenced

00:57:52.039 --> 00:57:54.980
local practices and created lasting connections

00:57:54.980 --> 00:57:57.800
between Canadian genetics and international markets.

00:57:58.489 --> 00:58:01.130
The economic impact of your career extends far

00:58:01.130 --> 00:58:04.530
beyond personal success. The cattle you selected,

00:58:04.710 --> 00:58:07.590
developed, and promoted generated millions of

00:58:07.590 --> 00:58:10.750
dollars in sales and semen revenue. Operations

00:58:10.750 --> 00:58:13.889
like Agro Acres, Oak Ridges, and countless others

00:58:13.889 --> 00:58:16.349
built their reputations partly on your ability

00:58:16.349 --> 00:58:20.869
to identify and develop superior genetics. Sheffield

00:58:20.869 --> 00:58:23.809
Climax Pansy, the nine -week -old calf you convinced

00:58:23.809 --> 00:58:27.360
Angelo Agro to purchase for $4 ,500, produced

00:58:27.360 --> 00:58:29.639
offspring that dominated show rings and breeding

00:58:29.639 --> 00:58:33.000
programs for decades. Agroacres unique alone

00:58:33.000 --> 00:58:35.519
generated enormous revenue through semen sales,

00:58:35.760 --> 00:58:38.679
vindicating your eye for genetic potential and

00:58:38.679 --> 00:58:40.739
your willingness to make bold decisions based

00:58:40.739 --> 00:58:44.559
on careful evaluation. The dairy industry you

00:58:44.559 --> 00:58:47.179
helped shape continues to benefit from innovations

00:58:47.179 --> 00:58:50.800
you pioneered or promoted. Body clipping techniques,

00:58:51.119 --> 00:58:54.000
systematic show preparation, and the integration

00:58:54.000 --> 00:58:56.940
of performance data with visual evaluation all

00:58:56.940 --> 00:58:59.579
trace their modern development partly to principles

00:58:59.579 --> 00:59:03.159
you established. Your influence on agricultural

00:59:03.159 --> 00:59:05.840
journalism, developed during your years with

00:59:05.840 --> 00:59:08.880
the Canadian Holstein Journal, helped professionalize

00:59:08.880 --> 00:59:11.440
industry communication and establish standards

00:59:11.440 --> 00:59:15.420
for reporting that emphasized accuracy and educational

00:59:15.420 --> 00:59:19.639
value over sensationalism. The Bertram and Hazel

00:59:19.639 --> 00:59:22.579
Stewart Award continues to encourage young people

00:59:22.579 --> 00:59:26.139
aged 12 to 14 to remain involved in 4 -H, addressing

00:59:26.139 --> 00:59:30.119
the same challenge you recognized, keeping talented

00:59:30.119 --> 00:59:33.000
youth engaged in agriculture during critical

00:59:33.000 --> 00:59:35.719
developmental years when many drift toward other

00:59:35.719 --> 00:59:39.699
interests. Modern dairy farmers facing challenges

00:59:39.699 --> 00:59:42.420
you never encountered, environmental regulations,

00:59:42.920 --> 00:59:46.320
animal welfare concerns, market volatility, still

00:59:46.320 --> 00:59:49.440
apply principles you demonstrated – careful observation,

00:59:49.840 --> 00:59:52.559
systematic problem solving, and the importance

00:59:52.559 --> 00:59:54.400
of learning from those who have successfully

00:59:54.400 --> 00:59:58.460
navigated similar challenges. Your greatest legacy

00:59:58.460 --> 01:00:01.179
may be the demonstration that excellence in agriculture

01:00:01.179 --> 01:00:04.400
comes not from natural talent alone, but from

01:00:04.400 --> 01:00:07.059
the systematic application of principles that

01:00:07.059 --> 01:00:10.840
can be learned, practiced, and taught. The teenager

01:00:10.840 --> 01:00:13.880
who forgot his white pants became the most successful

01:00:13.880 --> 01:00:16.679
showman of his generation, not through genetic

01:00:16.679 --> 01:00:19.400
advantage, but through consistent effort applied

01:00:19.400 --> 01:00:23.119
over decades. The dairy industry continues to

01:00:23.119 --> 01:00:26.460
evolve, but the need for people who combine technical

01:00:26.460 --> 01:00:29.679
knowledge with integrity, competitive excellence

01:00:29.679 --> 01:00:32.880
with generous teaching, and individual achievement

01:00:32.880 --> 01:00:36.980
with service to others remains constant. In these

01:00:36.980 --> 01:00:39.519
qualities, Bertram Stewart's example continues

01:00:39.519 --> 01:00:42.400
to influence agricultural leaders who never knew

01:00:42.400 --> 01:00:44.829
him personally. but benefit from the standards

01:00:44.829 --> 01:01:21.260
he established. Legends live here.