PRESS RELEASE

Manitoba Simmental Assoc. Scholarship Recipients FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Manitoba Simmental Association is pleased to be able to award three 2022 MSA Scholarships to deserving applicants!!

Congratulations to Sam de Rocquigny, Cade Cruickshanks, and Megan Beswitherick. Each of these individuals will receive a cheque for $1000.00 to put towards their post-secondary education expenses. Due to the support of our members in our various fundraising efforts over the years, the MSA is able to give up to three $1000.00 scholarships each year. Each applicant must be a MSA member and/or child of a MSA member and is judged on their application and interview process by our scholarship committee. Sam, Cade, and Megan will be highlighted in individual upcoming posts. If you see any of these individuals, please feel free to congratulate them on their various accomplishments to date.

Sam de Rocquigny hails from Haywood, MB and is the son of long-time Simmental breeders Pam and Norbert de Rocquigny of Bert's NR Simmentals. Sam is currently enrolled in the Diploma of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba and will graduate from the program in the spring of 2024.

Sam has been involved with his family farm from a young age and his duties and responsibilities have constantly increased throughout the years. He is involved with every aspect of the operation, from feeding cattle, to seeding and fencing and everything in between. Sam enjoys helping show cattle with his family throughout the province and is involved in the Pembina Triangle Simmental Assoc. and the Premium Beef sales, through which they market some of their purebred females and bulls.

Sam has been very active in his school and community. He was a 10-year member of his local beef 4-H club, having held many executive positions such as president, vice-president, treasurer, and club reporter. He was also awarded the 2018 Most Valuable Member from the club. In addition to his 4-H involvement, Sam was very involved in his school, playing soccer and badminton as well as various intramurals. He was the 2022 Grad President as well as the 2022 Co-Valedictorian for the St. Claude School Complex. Another of his personal accomplishments is to have been twice part of the Team Manitoba Broomball team that participated in the National Championships, having most recently been the assistant captain of that team. Sam continues to be active by playing on an intramural hockey team at the university as well as playing broomball whenever time allows.

Sam plans to return to the farm at Haywood, where they have recently increased their purebred herd. He hopes to make it more profitable and efficient through all that he learn in his courses and from his professors at the University of Manitoba. Congratulations Sam!!

Cade Cruickshanks is from a small farm in the Brandon area, where the family farms a small herd of black and red Simmental cattle. Cade is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting Program at the University of Manitoba and will graduate the program in 2023.

While at university, Cade continues to be involved in the day-to-day decisions on his family farm and continues to grow his own purebred Simmental division, Broken C Simmentals. When time allows, he is able to be involved with the daily operation of the farm. He is also a member of the MB YCSA, currently on the fundraising committee.

Cade has been involved in Manitoba 4-H in various ways, including an Adult Member Advisor at the 2022 Senior Member Event, and is currently sitting as the Youth Director on the Manitoba Board of Directors. He is also on the executive for his local Brandon Hills Community Club. Through these roles, he hopes to bring new ideas, events, and direction to both of these organizations.

Upon graduation from University of Manitoba, Cade will be working with MNP LLP and pursuing his professional CPA designation and specialize in various agricultural aspects. He plans to continue his education in agriculture through his profession to strengthen the agriculture industry for the future, as well as continuing to grow his purebred herd. Congratulations Cade!

Megan Beswitherick grew up on a mixed grain/beef operation at Austin, MB. Megan is currently enrolled in the Business Administration, Marketing Diploma at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, MB. Upon graduation in 2023, she will then transfer to Briercrest College in Saskatchewan to complete her Business Degree in 2025.

Megan has been involved with her family farm her entire life, particularly on the cattle end. Her parent's herd is primarily angus/Simmental cross and Megan always admired the Simmental traits in the cattle.

In 2014, at the age of 11, Megan and her sister started a purebred Simmental operation named Lil' Chicks Cattle Co, financed by their 4-H beef projects. The herd has grown throughout the years, and they now are able to market females and bulls through the Pembina Triangle Simmental Assoc. and the Premium Beef purebred sales. Megan has been working for other purebred cattle producers for many years, helping them at shows and sales. She is excited that they have been able to now show their own purebred animals around the province and also has been very privileged to be able judge at jackpot shows.

Megan has always been extremely involved in her community through school and sports. She has been part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentorship Program, and has organized many fundraisers for people in need, highlighted by a campaign she ran to benefit the Portage Women's Shelter during the pandemic. Megan's participation in high level sports has enabled her to play at the post-secondary level in hockey, soccer, and futsal. Her highlights have been being awarded the First Team Goalie at the ACHA National Championships in St. Louis where her college team won the National Championships, and being named the Female Athlete of the Year for her college. She has also served as the captain for her college soccer team and is looking forward to playing on the varsity basketball team at Briercrest for the next couple of years.

Along with her athletic and scholastic achievements, Megan is the current MB YCSA treasurer and was an 11-year member of her local 4-H club, holding many executive positions.

Megan plans to bring use her Marketing Degree to try to bridge the gap between urban population and the agricultural community, as well as further grow and market her purebred operation. Congratulations Megan!

About

The Manitoba Simmental Association is committed to promoting Simmentals in both the purebred and commercial industries. We are in a partnership with the Canadian Simmental Association, Keystone Simmental Association and Pembina Triangle Simmental Association. We work together to pursue emerging markets, inform the membership of events and important information and work to better the future for the Simmental producer and beef consumer.

For more information:

Manitoba Simmental Association

Box 274

Austin, MB R0H 0C0

204-870-1984 b2cattleco1@gmail.com