HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen Agriculture, 2003-03-19, Page 43Raising prize-winning Galloways
Family affair
Marie Blake and her family of Grey Ward, Huron East, help
her father Clayton Salter breed and show prize-winning
Galloways. (Janice Becker photo)
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
When it comes to farming,
Clayton and Kathy Salter and Greg
and Marie Blake keep it all in the
family.
While Clayton is on the road
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driving long-haul and Kathy winters
in the States, daughter Marie
manages the family’s herd of prize
winning Galloways.
“This herd has been showing at the
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for
five years.” said Blake. “Before that,
Galloways were just on display.”
Her parents have owned
Galloways for many years, said
Blake, and she has been attending
the fairs for 23 years.
In 1997, the family had the
opportunity to show-off the quality
of their animals when declining
numbers of other breeds at the Royal
allowed inclusion of more exotic
breeds.
“It is the hair of their coats that
makes them so unique,” she said.
“Many like to put a bit of a cross in
them to (better) show the coat.”
Natives of Scotland, the
Galloways are heavily-coated
compared to many other North
American breeds.
Blake said the ease of feeding also
makes them a good animal.
With success in their first year of
showing - joint premier exhibitor
and grand champion female - Blake
said breeding is the number one
thing.
“Good record confirms the
animals and shows our stock. We
look for good feet and legs, body
proportion and meat and muscling.”
That attention to breeding has paid
off for the Salter/Blake herd as they
have had top finishes each year. In
the second, third and fourth year,
they earned the reserve champion
title and grand champion last year.
“We were taken by surprise last
year,” said Blake. “We knew we
would do well, but not as big as we
did.”
The breeding lines have benefitted
the family. The dame that won grand
champion in 2002 was a past reserve
champion yearling and her two-year-
old won the cow/calf last year.
However, success is always
preceded by a lot of hard work. Each
animal - they usually take 10 - has to
be washed and groomed, before the
show as well as the arduous
undertaking of transporting them to
Toronto.
“Dad and I usually go and stay
from Thursday to Monday. Everyone
else comes on show day.”
The interest in cattle and showing
comes naturally to Blake. “I grew up
Looking after the financial
needs of our area farming
community for over fifty years
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with it and it’s something I always
wanted to do. Showing is in my
blood.”
Blake has passed on that love to
her three daughters who have also
begun to show in the junior classes
at local fairs and in the showmanship
class after the Royal. The
competition is supported by the
Galloway Association and ensures
that all showers are rewarded for
their efforts.
“The youngest helped show a
cow/calf at the Royal which won
first place and the older girls
independentsly show calves locally.
The experience is very worthwhile
for the kids.”
The children also learn about the
realities of raising cattle. The
winning two-year-old and a yearling
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heifer were sold to a couple from
Quebec. Though it was sad to see
them go, Blake expects to see them
back showing at the Royal.
This exposure to wider markets is
one of the main benefits of the show,
said Blake. “You get to be known.
People see what you have.”
This exposure has stretched
beyond the Canadian borders,
bringing interest from European
breeders as well.
“According to the Galloway
Association, the Canadian
bloodlines are the strongest.
Everyone conscientiously takes care
of the lines,” said Blake.
That bloodline has now returned to
its native home when four bulls were
shipped to Scotland. From there, one
ended up in Germany.
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