The first beef club in Stavely was organized by Mr. Dick Mouser of Claresholm in 1941 with Rance Ralph of Stavely as his assistant. The boundaries of the club covered an area from north and east of Parkland to south of Granum. The Stavely area was included in the Calgary District Agriculturalists area that extended from south of Calgary to the Starline Road south of Claresholm. In 1942 Lionel Perry was assigned to this ewa and his office was located in Stavely.
As the club grew in members and area, it was necessary to divide it and form two different clubs with Mr. Mouser taking the south end and Mr. Ralph organizing the first Stavely 4-H Club in 1942. Achievement Day on June 4. 1956 was held under direction of the D.A,Mr Jamieson, in Claresholm stockyards. Margaret Sundquist’s calf won Grand Champion, selling for 13 cents per pound. Forty years later, the average pricing for the club calves was $1.13 per pound.
Several years later the name of the Stavely Club was changed to Stavely-Parkland Beef Club as membership spread to the Parkland district. In later years achievement day rotated between Nanton, Stavely, Claresholm and Fort MacLeod. When the big day came, the good times in Stavely “couldn't be beat.” After the blood, sweat and snotty shirts, Stavely members stayed to clean up. Now with rodeo chutes at one end of this area, it was their duty to master the wildest calves; “if they hadn't been halter broke, they were going to be broke the cowboy way.” One in particular, which couldn't be trained by a donkey to lead, threw every pair of boots that straddled it; even left the leader (Brian Comstock) in the dust.
Grooming was always because everyone made sure that there was enough shaving cream left to practice on somebody later. Although the leaders never appreciated their annual hair styling, no one said much because he knew he could get a shower to go with it. The day itself was entertaining with wild calves getting loose, and the owner plowing dirt right behind him. Sometimes you would see a calf in downtown Stavely with its head in the air, halter dragging and heading home.
Stavely-Parkland was the first club to make individual signs with each member’s name burned into wood and varnished, and later the other clubs developed this idea; the decorating of the stalls with signs and banners gave the other clubs something for which to strive. There was a surge of public speaking for a few years when LeAnne Oviatt and Wilson Loree were the first from this area to win through local, Claresholm and Lethbridge levels and went on to Calgary for two successive years. Others have followed this example and have not only brought credit to their club, but have received the lasting effect of increased confidence from the training.
In 1972, the local club’s project was a first in Alberta and western Canada, when the telephone directory for Stavely, Claresholm, Parkland and Nanton was published for the convenience of the public. Mrs. Beryl Oviatt was instrumental in getting the book organized and printed. It was checked and corrected by Brian Comstock and his committee. Mrs Doris Hawk drew the maps of the area with roads and names of all the rural families as well as landowners. It was very handy to find your way around unfamiliar areas or answer the curiosity question “Who lives there?” Doris Hawk remembers one person saying to her “Hey I like this idea. It'll be great for all the lost salesmen that come around here.” She asked him quite seriously if he'd like a few extra maps to sell to them. “Not really,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes and a devilish grin on his face, “I've been telling these pesky salesmen where to go. Now maybe this map will tell them how to get there!” Doris really didn’t think he was referring to any of his neighbors’ places.
The proceeds from the advertising and sale of the 6” by 9” hard-cover directions was used to purchase trophies and to finance club projects. Ellis and Beryl Oviatt deserved a lot of credit toward its success.
Leaders throughout the early years were Rance Ralph 1946-55; Roy Duncan 1955-65; Gordon Comstock 1965-68; and Brain Comstock 1968-87. Brain was the assistant leader until 1993. Other early assistant leaders were Adrian Dykstra, Ken Hawk and Harold Andrews. More recently, some of the leaders and assistants included Dyce Bolduc, Brent Carey, Brenda Halliwell, Jackie Sawley, Steven Marshall, Melvin Sunquist, and Dale Ohler. Murray and Leigh-Anna Glimsdale are the current leaders.
At the present time, club meetings are held the third Monday of each month from October until May. They do at least one club activity per month. Some of these have included bowling, swimming laser tag, curling, mock show and a five-in-one clinic where they learn how to groom, show cattle properly and learn how to make halters. They compete in multi-judging with other clubs, as well as public speaking. Their Achievement Day is the first Tuesday in June at the Claresholm Agriplex. They hold their awards and sponsorship banquet at the end of June. The club also holds an annual fund-raising spaghetti supper for the community in February.
This past year, 2002-2003, Ryan Carey sold his steer to Murray and Leigh-Anna Glimsdale and Murray and Janet Carr who then took him to the “Steer Classic” in Calgary. There were more than 100 other entries but his steer won the $5,000 carcass competition.
-This information was from The Butte Stands Guard volume 1 and volume 2
As the club grew in members and area, it was necessary to divide it and form two different clubs with Mr. Mouser taking the south end and Mr. Ralph organizing the first Stavely 4-H Club in 1942. Achievement Day on June 4. 1956 was held under direction of the D.A,Mr Jamieson, in Claresholm stockyards. Margaret Sundquist’s calf won Grand Champion, selling for 13 cents per pound. Forty years later, the average pricing for the club calves was $1.13 per pound.
Several years later the name of the Stavely Club was changed to Stavely-Parkland Beef Club as membership spread to the Parkland district. In later years achievement day rotated between Nanton, Stavely, Claresholm and Fort MacLeod. When the big day came, the good times in Stavely “couldn't be beat.” After the blood, sweat and snotty shirts, Stavely members stayed to clean up. Now with rodeo chutes at one end of this area, it was their duty to master the wildest calves; “if they hadn't been halter broke, they were going to be broke the cowboy way.” One in particular, which couldn't be trained by a donkey to lead, threw every pair of boots that straddled it; even left the leader (Brian Comstock) in the dust.
Grooming was always because everyone made sure that there was enough shaving cream left to practice on somebody later. Although the leaders never appreciated their annual hair styling, no one said much because he knew he could get a shower to go with it. The day itself was entertaining with wild calves getting loose, and the owner plowing dirt right behind him. Sometimes you would see a calf in downtown Stavely with its head in the air, halter dragging and heading home.
Stavely-Parkland was the first club to make individual signs with each member’s name burned into wood and varnished, and later the other clubs developed this idea; the decorating of the stalls with signs and banners gave the other clubs something for which to strive. There was a surge of public speaking for a few years when LeAnne Oviatt and Wilson Loree were the first from this area to win through local, Claresholm and Lethbridge levels and went on to Calgary for two successive years. Others have followed this example and have not only brought credit to their club, but have received the lasting effect of increased confidence from the training.
In 1972, the local club’s project was a first in Alberta and western Canada, when the telephone directory for Stavely, Claresholm, Parkland and Nanton was published for the convenience of the public. Mrs. Beryl Oviatt was instrumental in getting the book organized and printed. It was checked and corrected by Brian Comstock and his committee. Mrs Doris Hawk drew the maps of the area with roads and names of all the rural families as well as landowners. It was very handy to find your way around unfamiliar areas or answer the curiosity question “Who lives there?” Doris Hawk remembers one person saying to her “Hey I like this idea. It'll be great for all the lost salesmen that come around here.” She asked him quite seriously if he'd like a few extra maps to sell to them. “Not really,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes and a devilish grin on his face, “I've been telling these pesky salesmen where to go. Now maybe this map will tell them how to get there!” Doris really didn’t think he was referring to any of his neighbors’ places.
The proceeds from the advertising and sale of the 6” by 9” hard-cover directions was used to purchase trophies and to finance club projects. Ellis and Beryl Oviatt deserved a lot of credit toward its success.
Leaders throughout the early years were Rance Ralph 1946-55; Roy Duncan 1955-65; Gordon Comstock 1965-68; and Brain Comstock 1968-87. Brain was the assistant leader until 1993. Other early assistant leaders were Adrian Dykstra, Ken Hawk and Harold Andrews. More recently, some of the leaders and assistants included Dyce Bolduc, Brent Carey, Brenda Halliwell, Jackie Sawley, Steven Marshall, Melvin Sunquist, and Dale Ohler. Murray and Leigh-Anna Glimsdale are the current leaders.
At the present time, club meetings are held the third Monday of each month from October until May. They do at least one club activity per month. Some of these have included bowling, swimming laser tag, curling, mock show and a five-in-one clinic where they learn how to groom, show cattle properly and learn how to make halters. They compete in multi-judging with other clubs, as well as public speaking. Their Achievement Day is the first Tuesday in June at the Claresholm Agriplex. They hold their awards and sponsorship banquet at the end of June. The club also holds an annual fund-raising spaghetti supper for the community in February.
This past year, 2002-2003, Ryan Carey sold his steer to Murray and Leigh-Anna Glimsdale and Murray and Janet Carr who then took him to the “Steer Classic” in Calgary. There were more than 100 other entries but his steer won the $5,000 carcass competition.
-This information was from The Butte Stands Guard volume 1 and volume 2