World Dairy Expo Supplement (complete PDF) - Hoards Dairyman

Always a student
by Hoard’s Dairyman staff
EVEN at a very early age, Bert Stewart
was a consummate student
who studied those who did well at
their trade . . . be it judging, showing,
coaching, farming, or even playing fast-pitch
softball. It led to his incredible success. Stewart
developed an eye for cattle that is matched
by few in our industry and made him a worldrenowned
dairy judge. His calm demeanor and
unique ability with cattle still make him a soughtafter
leadsman . . . leading an unequalled 16
Grand Champions at the Royal Winter Fair.
Ever grateful for valuable lessons others shared
with him as a youth, Stewart has spent the rest of
his life giving back to young people. Since 1990,
he has brought champion 4-H teams from Ontario
to World Dairy Expo to compete at the National
Contest. As a 20-year fast-pitch softball coach,
Bert led seven teams to titles in the Ontario
championship game. For this and so much more,
Stewart was awarded the 2005 Klussendorf trophy,
was appointed a lifetime Honorary Governor
of the board of directors for the Royal Winter Fair
in 2009, and was inducted into the Canadian
Agricultural Hall of Fame last year.
In 1951, you were high individual at the
Royal Winter Fair’s youth judging contest
and earned a scholarship to attend college.
How did that opportunity change your life?
Back in those days, the agriculture representatives
(extension agents) coached most
youth judging teams. There were three youth
picked for a county team that competed at
the Royal Winter Fair. We judged two classes
of each livestock species: dairy, beef, sheep,
swine, and horses. We had to give reasons
on six classes. I was fortunate to win high
individual honors at the Royal Winter Fair
EVER THANKFUL for the opportunities given
to him as a youth, Bert Stewart has been
coaching Ontario 4-H teams that have been
coming to Madison, Wis., since 1990.
and received the F. K. Morrow scholarship to
attend the diploma course at the University
of Guelph. My team also was fortunate to win
the team prize, as well.
I was very fortunate to have Jim
McCullough as my coach. I took almost a
month off from high school to prepare for
the Royal. Ralph Dunton and my brother,
Hilliard, were the other two members of our
team. Jim was a good coach and he taught us
a great deal about the livestock species. My
father helped coach us on the horses because
Jim didn’t profess to be a horse person. My
dad was a horse judge and did a lot of judging.
You are known for your calm demeanor.
Did that come naturally?
I’m not sure it came naturally. I was fortunate
enough to lead a Grand Champion Ayrshire
bull at the Canadian National Exhibition
when I was just 15 years old. And I had no idea
that I was going to lead this bull or the rest of
this Ayrshire breeder’s cattle. I worked for the
farm for one month prior to the CNE. (The
Canadian National Exhibition was a prestigious
show in the 1950s and 1960s, having
over 300 head of Holsteins.) We took six head
to the show and I got them clipped. Then I
asked, “Who’s going to show these tomorrow?”
He said, “You are.”
Well, I didn’t even have white clothes at the
fair. I had to phone my parents and get them
to bring me white pants. To be quite honest, I
was so nervous. We had an imported bull from
Scotland. I was only 15 years old and went
out and showed against all the big-time Ayrshire
breeders. The bull went on to be named
Junior Champion and then was named Grand.
A few years later, I showed for Rosafe Farms.
In fact, Rosafe Shamrock Perseus was the first
bull I showed for them. He won at the CNE.
The more you go into those big classes and
show, you become more relaxed, and you do
what you have to do to make the animal look
good. Getting worked up never ever helped
me. You had to live with what happened. If
you got badly beat with a good one, you go
back to the next show and get her out better.
You have led many champions, including
16 Grand Champions at the Royal Winter
Fair and most recently the 2010 Junior
Champion Holstein at World Dairy Expo.
What advice would you give to juniors as
they develop their show skills?
The 16 Grand Champions probably will never
be equaled in this era. Of that 16, seven were
Grand Champion bulls . . . five Holsteins and
two Jerseys at the Royal. Also, I showed three
Jersey cows. The famous Jersey, Duncan Belle,
was twice Grand at the Royal (1992 and 1993)
and once Reserve. I showed a couple other Jersey
cows that were Grand and one Brown Swiss cow.
I don’t know what makes me such a good
leadsman. I’ve always told 4-H kids you have
to relax. If you are uptight, the animal is going
to know it. Don’t hold them too tight. You’ve got
to let the animal be herself. If you’re relaxed,
chances are you will get her to relax.
Don’t get me wrong; the bad temperament
ones are bad. But sometimes if you take a bad
one, take her out and work with her and relax
her, you can get a lot of things accomplished.
Leading a lot is certainly a big help. I’ve told
a lot of juniors that you can’t just take your
4-H project and go out in the ring. You’ve got
to do some homework with her at home. You’ve
got to know what’s wrong with them and
you’ve got to lead and correct the mistakes
that they have in conformation.
Out of all those champions that you led,
who was your favorite?
My favorite cow was Sonwill Reflection Bee. I
showed her 25 times and won 21 times with her.
She wasn’t the best Holstein cow I ever led, but
she was the closest thing to a human. I could
throw the lead strap over her neck and she’d follow
me through the crowd and go to the ring at
the Royal Winter Fair. When she went into the
ring, she put her head and her ears up and said,
“I’m here to win.” She was a dream to work with.
The best Holstein cow I led without a doubt
was Quality BC Frantisco who won the 2005
Royal Winter Fair. (She also won in 2004, but
Bert did not lead her.)
The best Jersey cow was Duncan Belle. I was
fortunate to judge World Dairy Expo in 1991
when she was a 3-year-old. I made her Grand at
a time when the Jersey show was much smaller
(she was named Reserve Supreme of the entire
show later that week). After I made her Grand
Champion, Lorne Ella of Rock Ella Farms came
to me and said, “You like this cow as much as I
do. I want you to lead her the rest of her life.”
So, I led Duncan Belle at Louisville, the
Royal, and everywhere she went. She was a
big time cow and she bred (passed her genetics
to her offspring) exceptionally well. Duncan
Belle may be the best brood cow that the
Jersey breed ever had.
For 45 years you have given back to youth,
not only as a judging coach, but as the person
who led the charge to establish what is
now called the Canadian 4-H Classic (previously
known as the Contact Hayo Classic
and then the Scotia Bank 4-H Classic) and
the Ontario Dairy Youth Trust Fund. Why?
The Scotia Bank 4-H Classic just finished
its 31st show. It’s now called the Canadian
4-H Classic. The Ontario Dairy Youth Trust
Fund came later.
(Continued on page EXPO 42)
HOARD’S DAIRYMAN
September 10, 2011 EXPO 7