Our Australian Simmental Adventure

It's Crystal posting. It's been an exciting week for our family. Myself, mom and dad are traveling through Australia for the Simmental World Congress in Melbourne. My sister, Stacy, is manning things are home, working on the fall show strong, getting sale cattle ready, and attending a show. We are lucky to have her help.


Although, my mom has been to Australia before, this is the first time for my dad and I, and we are all extremely excited. So far I have been able to take in Sydney, Camberra - Australia's capital city and the hub for Australian agricultural organizations, the World Congress Show in Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, an auction mart, and a Simmental Stud. Through my blog http://www.cdycattle.blogspot.com/ I have provided some updates on my month long journey.

It has been great to see some tradition Fleckvieh and Fullblood Simmental cattle, as well as interesting to see the impact the Black Simmentals are making on the Australian cattle market. Black Simmentals are not the norm in Australia, but they are a big reason why my family has an interest in this event as we have sold Black Simmental embryos into Australia out of these three donor females - click here, here, and here to see their pedigrees and photos.

We always enjoy the opportunity to learn more about agriculture and the cattle industry, and meet people from around the world. And be sure to check out my blog to see some photos and learn a little more about our adventure.

Heading Down Under

Well after several years of planning our trip to Australia including taking in the World Simmental Congress is about to happen.  In less than 24 hours we will be on the long flight to Sydney. 

These past few weeks have been a whirl wind of activity.  It occurred to me that when non farm folk plan a trip of any length, then cancel their newspaper, arrange for the lawn to be cut or the sidewalk to be shoveled and jet off to their destination without another thought.

We have been hauling in feed, completing show and sale entries, halter breaking, weaning calves, arranging for a chore girl and house sitter, arranging for the crops to be swathed, scanning the catalogs of the sales that will happen during the time we are gone, registering calves and trying to buy a new truck, just to take a few weeks off from the farm.

I'm sure we will be thinking about what is happening at home and if everything is going OK, but the reality is that once we are on the plane there isn't much we can do about it.  So a huge Thank You to our daughter Stacy

 who is going to keep things going while we are gone and even take in a show with a smaller show string for everything she is doing so we can take this trip.  Also to Sarah who will be there during the week.  We couldn't do this trip with out you.

So if you happen to be driving by High Country Cattle in the next few weeks and you see a calf out, please chase him in and fix the fence.  We'll make it up to you when we get back.  Cheers - Rob & Dee

High Country is Stepping Out this Fall

The September long weekend is almost over.  The mornings sure feel like fall.  With the trip that we have been planning to the World Simmental Congress later this month, we have had to get a head on a few of our fall projects.  Steers have been sold, calves registered, hay in the feed yard, and the show and sale entries are being completed.  Usually we are still taking pictures and writing footnotes on the deadline day.  Here are a few that we will have out at the shows and sales this fall. 

RJY Lady May 16W

MasterLink x Red Label daughter bred to Revolution
Sells at the National in Brandon, MB  - November 6

RJY Joy's First Date 1W
Blk Joker x RJY Joy's Dreamdate 27S

IPU Revolution 172U
LBR Crocket son
Showing at Olds and Agribiton

RJY Signature Move 14X
Wheatland 680S x CDY Signature 2N
Sells at Agribition, Regina, SK - November 25

We plan on attending the following events:

• Olds Fall Show - October 1-3 (thanks to Stacy for taking a couple down there for us).
• The National Show & Sale in Brandon, MB - November 4-6
• Farmfair International , Edmonton - November 10 - 11 (to be determined)
• Canadian Western Agribition - Regina, SK, November 24 & 25
• 16th Annual Checkers Sale - Red Deer - December 16

Hope to see you at the fall events.

Here we go again,Fall Run

Well its getting close to fall shows and sales and it feels great to be in the cattle business going into the future.We just sold our heavy steers and they brought $160 per head more than last year!  The display cattle we are taking out to  shows are coming along well.It has been interesting how different people look at and what they see in your cattle. That is why we haul them out and show people what the breed has to offer. Not all will see the same thing as we do but there is a lot of people that walk through the barns looking for what they can use in their programs at the time.

 This year our string will be anchored by Revolution.We are very high on this bull and his offspring are very good and will definitely work in our program.