The Citizen, 2015-06-18, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015.
Residents in and around Walton welcome newborns
Well, the farmers asked for rain
and rain is what they have had.
Inches of rain fell a week ago and
put a stop to any farm activities on
the land. It seemed like enough rain
for the time, but more came. There
are other areas that had even more
than the Walton area, but I think it
can quit now for awhile.
Sad news has touched families in
Brussels this past week. Henk and
Agnes Ten Pas were informed of the
passing of their grandson Nic. He
was the 15-year-old son of their
daughter Linda, who lives in
Chilliwack, B.C. Members of the
family including Henk and Aggie
and Patricia and Kaitlyn McKay
have travelled to B.C. for the
services and to support Linda and
Pete and grandson Kirk. Our
sympathies are extended to the Ten
Pas family.
Catching up on the baby boom, I
have been very slow. The village of
Walton must have become a big city,
as no one mentioned that Valerie
Shortreed had become a
grandmother again. Our belated
congratulations go to Adam and
Krista Verkley on the birth of their
second son, Griffin. He is a baby
brother for Cooper.
Congratulations to Tom and Joyce
Williamson on the birth of a
granddaughter this week. Daughter
Nicole and husband Curtis Murray
have welcomed a wee princess, Elly,
to keep big brother Weston company.
Another great grandchild for Marie
Blake!
Moncrieff Road has welcomed
another little man to the line.
Congratulations to Bob and Tara
Smith and their new baby, Sullivan,
on his arrival. This is their first child
and there are four happy
grandparents in Listowel and
Monkton.
Glowing great-grandparents again
are George and Pat Langlois. They
are happy with the arrival of a
grandson this time, named William
Charles, He is the son of Curtis and
Jenna and is welcomed home by big
sister Kate. Bill and Susan Meyers
are the happy grandparents.
Our get well wishes go out to Pat
Langlois as she had knee surgery
this past week. I’m sure her recovery
will speed along, as she will be
anxious to go and see and get to
cuddle her new grandson!
Pat will be able to count on the
help of sister Mary Bradshaw, as she
has now moved to Clinton. The
Brussels community will miss Mary
as she was quite active in helping at
the Seniors Dining and the Brussels
Legion. We hope to see her back
visiting often!
We have to congratulate our
daughter Kelly McDonald Jarosz on
her recent graduation. Kelly has
always been known as the studious
child of the family and she has been
continuing her education since her
marriage. She already has a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s
Study, her Science degree and her
Business degree and is an accredited
x-ray technologist. Kelly has just
attended the convocation ceremony
at Wilfrid Laurier University, where
she received her Master’s of
Business Administration, after three
years of attending night school, the
second degree in higher education.
Congratulations Kelly on a lot of
hard work, juggling a marriage, two
children and a job, while getting
your degree!
It was party time at the farm of
Steve and Deb Rathwell, as they
celebrated their 25th wedding
anniversary on Saturday evening.
Nearly 100 family and friends
arrived to enjoy a roast pig barbecue
and party. A great chance for many
to have a visit and good time talking
about the “good ol’ days”. Congrats
to Steve and Deb!
The Walton Raceway had to
cancel the weekend races last week
due to the rain. They will be making
the race day up by hosting a double-
header race weekend this weekend.
Hopefully the weather will co-
operate this time.
The men of the Knight clan
gathered for their annual get-
together on Saturday. They gathered
at the farm of Steve Knight and all
generations were included in the fun.
Golfing at River’s Edge course in the
morning was fun but a
little damp, but all taken with good
spirits.
They returned to Steve’s for more
fun and games for the afternoon and
a meal. A good way to keep in touch
with the relatives.
Duff’s United Church had Neil
McGavin as the guest speaker last
Sunday. My apology to Patty Banks
for omitting her name as a member
of Duff’s band. There are so many
talented people around Walton, it’s
hard to remember them all!
Celebrating birthdays this past
week include Emily Wilts, Kaden
Huether, Meghan Burke,
Christopher Burke, Kolton O’Neill,
Hillary Bachert, Dallas Young,
Tanner Boven, Shawn Reinink,
Colleen Collins, Mary Baker, Paul
Linton, Aggie TenPas, Jamie Clark
and Aaron Johnston. Happy birthday
to all.
By Jo-Ann
McDonald
Call
887-6570
PEOPLE AROUND
WALTON
NEWS
FROM WALTON
McArter named national reserve champ auctioneer
Brussels native and Brussels
Livestock auctioneer Kevin McArter
was named reserve auctioneer
champion at this year’s annual
Livestock Markets Association of
Canada Championships.
Held in Winnipeg on May 29, the
event brings together the top
auctioneers from across the country
and pitted McArter against
approximately 30 other competitors.
He explained that he has been
attending the event since 2004, when
he was named rookie champion,
which had him competing against
anyone with less than five years of
experience.
“The judge looks at a lot of
things,” McArter said in an
interview with The Citizen. “An
auctioneer’s presentation, clarity of
chant, business knowledge and dress
are all considered, but it’s really
mostly based on how you sell cattle.”
McArter was beat out by Calvin
Kuepfer of Millbank but had nothing
but positive things to say about his
competition.
“He has a good head and he’s a
good kid,” he said of Kuepfer. “He
can come and sell in Brussels any
time. He has a very natural balance
of voice and rhythm.”
McArter didn’t know in which
area he was edged out but said that,
much like many other jobs, you have
good days and you have bad days
and Kuepfer had a better day than
he.
McArter said that sales in Ontario
might be a bit tougher than other
areas, especially out west, and that’s
made him better.
“We have to sell 200 to 300 used
cattle here that are bought out east to
be traded here,” he said. “People
aren’t lining up in the front rows to
buy like they do out west. It builds
character being here.”
Going through tough times has
also helped him get better at his
craft, McArter said.
“It’s pretty easy to sell right now,
but it could get tough,” he said. “If
prices go too high, we might not
have the market we’ve had.”
He added that he has to thank
Brussels Livestock because, over the
years, it’s where he got his first taste
of the business, where he was
educated, and where he found out
that you have to stick with things to
succeed.
He has also become a staple in the
Brussels community volunteering to
be auctioneer at the Brussels
Optimists spring dinner and auction,
the Maitland Conservation
Foundation’s annual dinner and
auction in Brussels as well as other
auction events.
McArter said that auctioneering
and cattle sales are something he has
been a part of since he was 11 years
old.
Having spent a good part of his
childhood around Brussels
Livestock, McArter found he liked
to watch the sales and even found
some work for himself in his
younger years.
“I chased the cattle and cleaned
the odd truck,” he said. “Then I took
a liking to selling, so I started
looking at that, but it takes time in
this business to get where you want
to be.”
He said that it took 25 years before
he was able to take the auctioneer’s
seat. He attended auctioneer school
in Woodstock between 1987 and
1988 and then started to work.
“I had a few sales of my own,” he
said. “Then I did some sales for
other people. I was never one to be
out of work.
“I used to, as a young guy, do the
late-night sales,” he said. “Then, I
came to Brussels 16 years ago and
just took over when a spot opened
up.
When he was young, McArter was
on the fast track to professional
hockey, having been invited to play
for a minor-league team, however he
decided then that a career in cattle
was more interesting to him.
He now lives in Exeter, after
moving there earlier in his life for
hockey, with his wife and family,
and drives to Brussels to auctioneer
for Brussels Livestock.
Next year’s auctioneering
championship is set to be held in
Brussels and McArter says he is
hopeful he can come out on top.
“It would be nice to win, but every
year is different,” he said. “It’s a
very competitive event and most
people who know me, know I’m a
very competitive guy, so it will be
fun.”
Mark Ferraro, who recently took
over Brussels Livestock with his
wife Cindy, said he is excited to have
the opportunity to host the event.
“We’re going to have people from
all over the country here as well as
local folks who want to see the
event,” he said. “We’re going to have
champion auctioneers from all over
Canada.”
He said his family and staff are
working hard to prepare for the event
and that they are all excited and
honoured to be chosen as the host
site.
“It really shows that we’re locally
supported and that we stand out.”
Cindy reported that the event is
being planned for the May 27
weekend, however final details have
yet to be confirmed.
Mark also said he was proud of
McArter and honoured to have
a member of the Brussels
Livestock staff recognized in such a
way.
“We’re proud,” he said. “Kevin,
and his predecessor, really pulled
hard to make this place a success.
We’ve been happy to see Kevin go to
the championships since we took
over.”
He said that he believes the
diversity at the barn likely helped
McArter with the win.
“Because of what we have here,
Kevin has experience selling every
kind of cattle you could imagine,” he
said. “We have diversity here. The
auctioneers don’t know what they’re
going to draw for the competition,
but Kevin wasn’t even hesitant
because we do so many different
kind of cattle here. Out west, the
cattle are all kind of peas in a pod,
they’re all very similar. Out here, it’s
anyone’s guess.”
The June meeting of the Majestic
Women’s Institute took the form of a
mystery tour arranged by Kathy
Bridge.
The group met at the Brussels
Library on June 10 and travelled to
the Sloman School on Wheels
Museum in Clinton. It was very
interesting and informative to step
into the original wooden train that is
now over 100 years old to learn how
Fred Sloman and other dedicated
teachers brought an education to
children living in isolated areas of
Northern Ontario from 1926 to
1967.
After touring the 1950s classroom,
members went into the small living
area to see how a family of seven
lived without benefit of electricity
and other conveniences. The tour
ended by watching a video with
Mrs. Cela Sloman telling about life
on the rail car. Lunch was enjoyed at
Bartliff’s restaurant.
Following lunch, the group toured
the Made In Huron store and the
Good Choice store in Vanastra.
The WI’s business meeting was
held at the Sloman Park. President
Yvonne Knight read a poem
entitled, “Time” written by Helen
Steiner Rice. The Institute Ode and
Mary Stewart Collect were repeated.
The minutes of the May meeting
were read by the secretary Leona
Armstrong and the treasurer Marie
McCutcheon gave the treasurer’s
report. A donation will be sent to the
Alzheimer Society.
Ruth Bauer, District Director
gave a brief account of the district
annual meeting held in Listowel.
Selling share-the-wealth tickets at
the Brussels Farmers’ Market was
discussed. Members were reminded
of the Ambassador of the Fair
Competition at the Brussels Legion
on Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and the Aug.
12 outing.
The roll call was answered by a
poem or joke. The meeting closed
with singing happy birthday to
Yvonne Knight.
SOLD!
Kevin McArter, A Brussels native and auctioneer for
Brussels livestock, was recently named the reserve
champion for the Livestock Market Association of Canada
auctioneer championships. McArter has a long history with
Brussels Livestock, having worked at the barn in his youth.
(Denny Scott Photo)
Majestic WI meets