High Country Cattle Services: Little Girls Christmas List

This blog goes back a few years to December of 1997. We were consignors to the 4th Annual Checkers Sale in Red Deer. Rob and the girls had taken our animals down to the sale a few days a head of time and I was at home doing chores until sale day.

As I walked in to the sale barn, the girls came running to greet me. I thought they had missed me over the last few days. They really were just looking for information...... "Mom have your bought all of our Christmas presents?" I was actually a bit organized that year and was done my shopping. They were very disappointed to hear this. You see they had found a very special red baldy heifer calf.....GFP Gloss 12G. They proceeded to tell me that I could take all of the gifts back if they could just have "Gloss" and they would even share her. Crystal was 12 and Stacy 10.

As it turned out our consignments were in the sale order prior to Gloss. Rob & I decided that the girls could try and buy her, but they had to do the bidding. We sat with them for a few lots and asked if they could understand the prices they were selling for.. they had no idea. Gloss entered the ring and the bidding began. I think they just held their hand up the entire time! When all was said and done, they were the proud new owners of a red baldy heifer calf. We asked if they knew how much they had spent they replied, "Not more than $3000, because Dad didn't tell us to stop."

The girls enjoyed Gloss for 4 years and as they were soon looking at needing a college fund, they decided to sell Gloss in the 2001 Checkers sale. She was purchased by Kopp Farms for $7,500 and her bull calf brought $13,000. This cow has gone on to raise 7 more calves for the Kopp family. They also have a few daughters in their herd out of her.

It was a fun day back in 1997, seeing 2 little girls want a Simmental heifer more than anything else on their Christmas list. There enthusiasm for Simmental cattle and the agriculture industry in general has continued all these years. When we look back on the Checkers sales over the years we also see how the cattle that have gone through the ring have enhanced our own herd and the breed. Our family has a long history with this sale and it is a day each year that we look forward to. Over the past 17 years the kids have grown, the cattle improved and the friendships made cherished.