Road to the Royal Fair

September 23, 2013 · 0 Comments

Since he was six years old, Chester Tupling has been showing cattle at local fairs. Steeped in proud tradition, the now 36 year old father of two and owner of Rollin’Acres Charolais Farm, Tupling, along with his five year old son, showed at the Shelburne Fall Fair, Sunday the 15th.

Having taken prizes at the well known Royal Winter Fair in Toronto and the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina in previous years, Tupling, along with other farmers were looking forward to competing in the smaller fairs and gathering points that eventually will carry them along the ‘Road to the Royal Fair’.

Tupling admits that preparation to attend a competition is no small endeavour commenting, “We leave at 5 a.m. to attend the Shelburne Fall Fair. We’ll be taking nine head, and when we get there, we wash and dry. It’s time consuming.”

And what are Judges looking for? Judges will be looking for size, performance, weight, masculinity of the male, femininity in the female, and the ease and ability to move freely and quickly.

In order to produce a Grand Champion Bull and Grand Champion Female, the work begins when the up to 100 pound calves are born. According to Tupling, calves can gain up to five pounds a day. Tupling runs through the process, “We start with up to 70 cows and they all have colts within a 60 day period of time. We tag calves immediately because it’s essential for identification and organizational purposes.”

Training is required instructing the animals to walk in a harness and follow and usually begins early June. Tupling informs, “Each animal learns at a different pace and I am fortunate as the Charolais Breed as a whole are very docile and agreeable. Every now and then you find a stubborn one that refuses to be trained,” Tupling chuckled, shaking his head, remembering some of the difficult cases.

This very time consuming lifestyle of farming and working at Premier Equipment, a John Deer Dealership in Alliston leaves little precious free time and Tupling is grateful that showing in Fall Fairs is fun for the whole family explaining,“ Fair’s are a great family event. Even my four year old will be showed his calf. It’s good fun. Though we farmers compete, we all get along. You will find that in agriculture, all farmers are very supportive of each other and get along really well.”

Tupling points out the Charolais breed are not for consumption and are strictly for breeding and will eventually be brought to Hanover, Ontario, along with two other farmers and their bulls on the 3rd Saturday in March for sale. The last Saturday in September, Hanover will also host the Production Female sale.

When Tupling finally reaches the Royal Fair in Toronto, Ontario, he will not stay long before packing up and attending the Winter Fair in Regina as the two events are within days of each other.

Of course Tupling also looks forward to the once a year gathering of all farmers. Last year, all breeders in Ontario met in Peterborough, Ontario, and tallied all their points in both male and female categories producing winners and of course bragging rights.

Judging the September Fall Fair Charolais Show 2013 in Shelburne, Gary Smart commented, “ I enjoy seeing the kids and their eagerness and of course the quality of their calves. Every year the quality gets better and better. Charolais Shows can get very competitive.” What can be a lucrative business as Smart mentions he has seen cattle go for $10,000-$15,000, can also cost a lot to maintain and as most farmers will tell you, it’s all worth it to live the lifestyle.

Judge Gary Smart commented on how many kids are involved in the 4H Club (Head, Heart, Hands and Health) an agricultural club for kids where many specific topics to a child’s interests are discussed taught and learned, be it farming, tractors, showing. Many of the kids who showed at the Fair learned to show with the 4H Club they belong to.

Tupling remembers what his father always said about this chosen lifestyle, “What my father always told me about farming is you better love it because sometimes there’s not much else in it!”

Truer words may not have ever been spoken!

Update: Rollin’ Acres took Champion, Reserve Champion Bull and Reserve Champion Female at the Shelburne Fall Fair Charolais Show.

For more information contact Chester Tupling at chestser.tupling@premierequpiment.ca, visit and explore the website at www.rollinacres@charolais.com or call 705-627-0672.

By Alex Sher