There was only one Auger

Photo by Crystal Young http://cdycattle.blogspot.com/

We learned a few days ago that our good friend Auger - Bryce Poland passed away.  It's funny that at one time you could go to almost any show in North America and say the name Auger and people knew who you are talking about.  Bryce lived on the show road. 

 He lived for show cattle.  If they couldn't win him a Champion ribbon he didn't have that much use for them.  Bryce probably showed more Grand Champions in the Simmental breed than anyone else that I know.  He traveled all across Canada and the U.S, Brazil and Mexico.  He showed for some of the big Simmental outfits.  Shawest Farms, Ritland Simmentals and Poland and McCoy.  I met Bryce in 1978 at the World Simmental Congress.  We got to know his family well and went of a few holidays together.  Of course they were always connected to at cattle show.  He was one of a kind and although a little rough around the edges he had a huge heart.  I will always remember the way he wore his grey stetson a little crooked to one side. We will miss him at the shows, but always him for the competitor that he was.  Funeral services for Bryce will be held at the United Church in Sherwood Park on Wednesday March 3, 2010 at 1:00 pm.  I found this poem the other day that was written by fellow fitter/showman Levi Jackson.  It kinda describes what Auger loved to do.

Photo by Crystal Young    http://cdycattle.blogspot.com/

The Fitter

Sometimes I think that we’re crazy

Cause we’re up every morning near five

We work all day and drink all night

And wonder how we survive

In the mornings we’re in the washracks

Freazing off our behinds

Someone brings in some peppermint schnapps

And things start to look just fine.

The life on the show road’s been a mighty

Good life for me

I’ve traveled all across this land

And been from sea to sea

Met me a lot of folks

And better friends I’ll never know

This life on the show road

I’ll be doing when I’m old

 

The city folk they don’t understand

Why we’re brushing the hair

Why we trim and shin their hooves up

And stick them out in the cold night air

They ask us lots of real dumb questions

Saying “What are you doing this for?”

I tell them “hey, we’re a little bit crazy”

And they don’t ask us anything more

We pack up the tack and move today to be at

Another show tonight

We feed and water cattle, we might sit down

And get tight

In the show ring we fight like cat and dog

It’s a hell of a rivalry

But when the work’s done and we’re having

some fun

We’re just one big family.