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By Tom Collins GUELPH OSU Empress 3100 sure knows how to make a debut. The beef animal owned by Peter and Karen Frijters of Premier Livestock in Milverton; Rob Hasson and Karen McMaster of Hasson Livestock in Guelph; and Clayton and Corrine Gibson of Six Mile Angus in Fir Mountain, Sask. won not only the grand champion female for Angus at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto last month, but also won supreme champion female for all breeds. Even more impressive was this was the first time OSU Empress had ever been shown since the group bought the animal at the 35th Oklahoma State University Cowboy Classic on April 6. “Its doing your homework,” said Karen McMaster about how a first-time animal could do well at her first showing, adding that scheduling issues made it impossible to show OSU Empress at earlier shows. “She was running at a really nice weight and condition to be showing as a yearling. We were confident that we had as much homework done as we could.” The animal spent the end of November following up on the victory with a top 10 finish for all grand champion females at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Sask. OSU Empress was the only yearling selected in the top 10. “Shes just a very balanced female,” said McMaster. “She carries all the components structurally and in her pedigree that we want to see in our maternal animals. And thats ultimately what were selecting our young females for. Were looking at them for the traits that are going to make them into a good cow and be able to raise offspring for us.”
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