Nicki Ross considers herself one lucky teen cowgirl.
But when it comes to cattle she is also one talented young lady – dazzling veterans of the profession who have been in the business many decades before the 18-year-old Innisfailian was even born.
With one steer named Phil and a heifer called HLC Electra, Ross captured six awards at the annual Red Deer & District 4-H Beef Show that was held from May 31 to June 2. The event featured more than 70 participants from the Red Deer West 4-H Beef Club, Delburne 4-H Beef Club and the 18 members from Ross's Bow-Inn 4-H Beef Club.
Ross won top honours for the Bow-Inn grand champion steer, Bow-Inn grand champion senior showman, as well as the Red Deer & District 4-H Beef Show's grand champion yearling heifer, grand champion female, grand champion steer and senior showmanship steer.
“Some friends of mine have won awards too but six is unbelievable. I was pretty lucky,” said Ross, a Grade12 student at Innisfail Jr/Sr High School.
Ross said she attributes her success to her father Hugh Ross, her mother Dusty Daines, stepfather Danny Daines, aunt Bev Kelly, uncle Jason Kelly, cousin Kyla Kelly and grandparents Don and Janette Ross.
“Without them I would not have been able to do so well,” said Ross.
The goal for her steer project at the Red Deer show was to have her livestock finished in size. Starting at a weight of 747 pounds last October, Phil was fed by Ross for 211 days and finished at a weight of 1,347 pounds for the show. Judges looked at how structurally sound the steers were and how much fat cover they had.
The heifer competition was a breeding project. Each entry was judged not on size, but on presentation and development.
Ross, who has been showing cattle for more than 14 years, said her winning steer was purchased for $8,883 by a syndicate called Club Phil.
She donated one quarter of that, $2,220, to the Canadian Diabetes Association.
She said her heifer can come back to the show next year as a two-year-old and the following year as a three-year-old. She said she has not made up her mind whether she will enter the heifer in future shows.
Meanwhile, Ross is planning on continuing her education at college in the fall but not in the agricultural field. She is going to SAIT in Calgary next year to study graphic design. That may surprise many but her heart will never be far away from raising the best cattle in the region, and presenting them to the public.
“The Red Deer show is important because you are representing yourself, your farm and family,” said Ross. “It makes you feel proud for what you are taking out of town and what you are representing.”
