CHA Report - Stephen Scott CHA Report - Stephen Scott

Congratulations on another very successful Bonanza and Hereford Week in Canada! Anyone that has been involved with organizing or volunteering for a Bonanza knows that this is no small task. Thank you to everyone that played a part in the 40th Anniversary of Bonanza; it was a tremendous event!

During the week of Bonanza, the leadership of the CHA, CJHA and KGF had meetings and workshops. The KGF hosted a seminar to help educate members on the sensitive, but very important topic, of succession planning. Thanks to the KGF trustees for providing this educational opportunity on a topic that is so pertinent to the industry.

The CJHA held their summer National Council meetings and covered budgeting, marketing, fundraising and a discussion surrounding the rules and regulations that encompass Bonanza.

Bonanza has always been a youth show for the youth, and the CJHA board is striving to maintain the focus on this model. However, with the increase in younger or less experienced CJHA members, the council is looking to incorporating new rules that allow more adult involvement. This year adults were able to lend a hand to a larger extent than they have in the past, and the feed-back was great. For Bonanza 2020, the rules will be similar, and even a little more liberal for that of parent involvement. The CJHA doesn’t want to have parents grooming or fitting cattle, but they feel that to encourage younger, less experienced members to come take part in Bonanza, there must be some level of parent involvement allowed to ensure the safety and fun of all participants. The CJHA asks adult members to not abuse these rule changes as Bonanza has a legacy of being a great learning environment for the CJHA members.

The CHA held its summer board and committee meetings in Weyburn during Hereford Week in Canada as well. There continues to be a large commercial focus on the discussions at both the board and committee levels. Breed improvement is evaluating new traits that could be important to Hereford breeders and the commercial industry in the future. The Show committee continues it discussion on how to grow Hereford influence at Jr shows. The committee recognizes that engaging youth, and exposing new youth to the Hereford breed has great meaning to the future of the breed. We would like to extend a special congratulations to Dave & Carol Guilford on inducted into the CHA Honor Roll.

The CHA Board is engaged in gathering information from the commercial industry on the performance and the perception of Hereford cattle. They are working to gather information to better direct breed improvement and marketing efforts to focus the CHA’s efforts. The CHA board has also given the direction to build a Strategic Marketing Committee. A committee that will develop a more specific marketing plan for Hereford. This committee will make recommendations to the CHA Board on modifications and plan for the development of new association and breeder marketing assets.

Our next meetings will be held in December at the CHA office in Calgary. At that time, the board will be meeting with a group of cattle industry advisors to have an open discussion on the larger industry and the breed.