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CIR CST SR mat wR A | Gh EPR > "AF i A ra I ER i i wi mi 4- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, August 19, 1997 ¢ "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" -Canada. - show was called the Black Les Smith has been competing in Port Perry Fair's Hostein Show since 1937 60 years in the Holstein show ring By Heather McCrae Port Perry Star When the Ontario County Holstein Show comes to Port Perry Fair on the Monday of Labour Day weekend next month, it will have reached another sig- nificant milestone. September 1, 1997 will mark the 60th anniversary of the popular show. But for Les Smith of High Point Farms in Port Perry, it's also the 60th consecutive year Holsteins from his farm will be competing in the show ring. : The Ontario County Holstein Show was originat- ; ed- by Bob Holtby in 1937. That initial show was held at Port Perry Fair and was also the very first Holstein Show in all of Canada. A local breeder, whose farm is now the home of Hanover Hill - Holsteins, Mr. Holtby was the first fieldman and also the initial classifier for all of In the beginning, the dairy and White Show because black and white Holsteins were only allowed to com- pete. But now that red and white animals are rec- ognized, it's called the Holstein Show. Long before the Holstein Show originated in 1937 fairs had been a good part of Les' life. He has many fond recol- were unheard of. Instead animals were transported to fairs by rail car. At a time when the Oshawa Fair was held a day or two before the agricultural event in Port Perry, Les would always show his calf at the fair to the south before competing again in the north. In those days 'back when', the Nip 'n Tuck would stop to pick up cattle at the High Point Station then located on High Another trek on foot was made, but this time to the Port Perry Fair. Following the show there was a seven-mile hike back to High Point Farm. Now the animals are transported to the fair by Roy Graham, a local livestock trucker. After a lengthy illness, George Smith - died in 1931. It wasn't until 1937, when the Black and White Shows began, that $2" Les says. Over the years he's earned quite a stack of bills. Les hasn't missed a Holstein Show at Port Perry Fair in 60 years. Now he and his wife, Kaye, take great delight in watching their grandchildren, the fourth generation of Smiths, compete with the farm's animals in the show ring. "I'm lucky to have such a supportive wife" Les says. "If the other side of the household isn't interested, things don't go as well". In all these years the weather has never canceled a show. "In the previous 59 years we've never been rained out" Les says. "We've had miserable, cold weather, but gil have never had enough rain {| to stop the show". The cattle have changed a lot over the years, too. Les recalls that initial show in 1937 when some of the cat- tle were brought to the Show right from the pas- ture, without being] proper- ly halter broken or clipped. "Sometimes we'd have a bit of a rodeo in the ring" he says. Now, all the animals are well broken to lead, and are clipped, washed and groomed to perfection". Farms a bevy of trophies are proudly displayed, includ- ing one of a True Type Holstein cow Les won with In the office at High Point - High Point Farm have shown at the popular event. Shown here with Les Smith are his 1942. granddaughters Jennifer (left) and Sarah Smith At this years Ontario with their Holsteins. County Holstein Show When the Ontario County Holstein Club celebrates its 60th anniversary at the Port Perry Fair the Monday of Labour Day weekend, it will also be the 60th consecutive year animals from lections of his earlier fair days. In 1924 when his father, his grand champion cow in - George, was president of the Port Perry Fair, Les showed + his pony for the first time. Bigger and better things came the next year when Les had the Champion Holstein calf at Oshawa Fair and won a case of Rogers silverplate donated by Eaton's. | "We still use that silverware today and have kept adding to it throughout our married lives" he says. In those earlier years livestock trucks Point Farm. Picking cattle and their han- dlers up along the way, the journey con- tinued to the Oshawa station at the south end of the motor city. After unloading, animals and their owners would walk up Simcoe Street to the fairgrounds which were then located at Alexandra Park, across from Oshawa General Hospital. After the show it was another ride on the train, up over the Ridges to the sta- tion in Port Perry located at Palmer Park. Les and his brother, Lloyd, started show- ing again. That first_year the Black and White Show was held, the Ontario County Holstein Club built wooden pull ties. Some years later the club also built a barn, and added on to it years later. In the early years of the Black and White Show, every showman in each class received a crisp $2 bill. "If there were 20 showmen in the class, each one would get / about 10 this year, represen- tatives from Holstein Canada and Ontario Holstein will be there to partake in the fes- tivities and honor several long-term exhibitors. Under the critical eye of judge Dale Bienart from Cooking Lake, Alberta, the show, which is sponsored by the Ontario County Holstein Club and Werrhurst Holsteins, begins at 10:45 a.m. with the pre- 4-H class and winds up in the mid-after- noon. Shade traditions i as the. horse pull, pet show, music, danic- oe and, of course, the midway, with ames and rides to thrill all ages. And sunday, as usual, there will be harness acing on the track, ° Its hoped this year's event will see an ficantly last year. 00 and 8,500, and it was down to r 000." > ar's fair opens Saturday, Aug. 1 cntinuss until Sel F end new ase in gate receipts, which slipped: Attendance) usually runs between or the 1996 edition of the fair, . nto iry and got back 1 up to :