Black Limousin heifer wins ribbons in three categories at Shelburne Fall Fair

September 23, 2015 · 0 Comments

She might be a bit of a heifer, but judges think she’s ribbon worthy.
‘Hillside Angel’, a black registered Limousin, showed well at the Shelburne Fall Fair this past weekend, winning Sean McArthur an 11 year old Mono resident, three ribbons and bragging rights for the year to come.
Angel, an 18 month old heifer, weighs more than 1200 pounds, and resides at Diane & Kevin McArthur’s farm, on the Mono–Amaranth Townline. She’s been “beefing-up” since June, awaiting the ring at the Shelburne Fall Fair, hosted by the Shelburne Agricultural Society, that took place from Sept. 18–20th.
Angel and Sean took home the following: 2nd Place in the Showmanship Category; 3rd Place in the All–Female Open Show (cattle born between January 2014–April 2014); and 7th Place in the 4–H Invitational, novice age category.
During the show, Angel was judged for foot placement (squareness), positioning of the back legs, how “well sat” she was on her feet, head placement, start and stop ability in the ring and ease of rubbing (used to help keep her calm).
Sean, a 4–H member, has been working with Angel for several months, and plans to show her again in October. Angel will also be shown at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto later this year.
To get her “ring ready”, Sean has been practicing walking her around the barn and yard, and has been feeding her a high-quality diet of mixed grains.
To supplement, Angel also enjoys a refreshing “salad” of fresh greens (grass), and often carves a path into the family’s lawn during her walk-a-bouts with Sean.
“You can always see where we’ve been,” Sean confirmed to the Free Press. “She’s like a lawnmower.”
Once at the show, Sean readies Angel by bathing her with shampoo, and then brushing her coat (forward). In his show box he also keeps clippers, combs, a blower and Angel’s halter and lead.
Sean says that he likes working with cows (a love that goes beyond the prize money – which he says he’s going to use to buy his own sheep.)
“Cows are smart, and they remember you,” he said. “They’re kinda’ like people. They stay with their families and they eat and drink together.”
Sean confirms that sometimes there can also be a few “problem cows” in the herd.
“I don’t like it when they kick, and some cows, especially the bulls, can be really pushy. Cows have good and bad days.”
But Sean’s Angel is indeed an angel, and rarely gets fussy.
“She’s a good girl,” Sean said. “She’s one of the reasons I’d like to become a farmer when I grow up.”
“I’d like to have my own beef farm one day,” Sean adds. “I like working with animals.”
Although Sean’s cows all have names, they’re eventually intended for market. But don’t worry about Angel – after all, she’s a decorated show cow now and will be used as a breeding female.
Limousin cattle are a breed of highly muscled beef cattle originating from the Limousin and Marche regions of France. Limousins were first exported from France in significant numbers in the 1960s and are now present in about 70 countries worldwide. They are naturally horned and have a distinctive lighter wheat to darker golden-red colouring, although they are also bred to be black, like Shelburne’s own, ‘Angel’.

By Wendy Gabrek

Photos by Wendy Gabrek
What a heifer! – Sean McArthur, an 11 year old Mono resident with ‘Hillside Angel’, or ‘Angel’, an 18 month old black registered Limousin heifer. Sean showed Angel at the Shelburne Fall Fair this past weekend, winning prizes in three categories, including a second place for Showmanship his age category, novice.