Supreme bull Lonestar with co-owners Brett Barber of Texas and Laura Stafford of the Arnprior area.
TORONTO — The Royal Winter Fair marked a watershed moment for beef breeders Paul and Laura Stafford as part owners of the beef show’s supreme bull champion. His name is Lonestar — or BR Lonestar K017 ET to be precise — and he lives at the Staffords’ Double H Cattle Company farm west of Arnprior.
Lonestar was judged the best male example of any beef breed shown at this year’s Royal, only the second time for a Hereford to be so recognized in the event’s history, a proud Paul Stafford told Farmers Forum. The prize bull achieved the best show finish of any animal ever connected with Double-H, a happy achievement for the couple who have been attending the Royal since they were both in 4-H.
“He’s just so long, which really adds weight to him, but he’s got that real masculine look up front, but yet nice and clean,” he said. “And he’s able to take that length and walk and move really well.”
The Staffords bought the young bull from Texas-based Barber Ranch for $50,000 in March 2023, partnering with Oshawa’s Brad Baker (Edenrun) on the purchase. The Canadian trio then sold a 50 % share of the animal back to the breeder, Brett Barber, and it was the Texan who led Lonestar in the Royal show ring last month.
The “notoriety” of the bull’s win in Toronto will create opportunities for semen sales, which will be something new for Double-H, acknowledged Paul Stafford, who was due with Laura to attend Saskatchewan’s Agribition show as their next stop. They had Lonestar and three other cattle in tow as they spoke with Farmers Forum.
Having the show-winning Supreme Champion bull wasn’t their main objective when they acquired Lonestar.
Stafford explained that Double-H required a homozygous polled bull to ensure that all offspring at their operation are born without horns. Their herd of 30 Herefords intentionally includes the genetic influence of Hereford with horns “to try and add some punch to the cattle, get a little more pounds and substance to them,” he explained. They want those traits but without the horns, and Lonestar fit the bill to make it happen.
Laura Stafford added that Lonestar’s darker pigmentation will help to produce the redder calves more desirable in the Ontario market.
A number of Eastern Ontario farms and breeders did well in the show ring at the 2024 Royal Winter Fair.
Respected Holstein breeder Kingsway Farms of Havelock earned the Premier Breeder title in the Black and White show. Kingsway also captured the Junior Breeder pennant, while the Junior Breeder honours went to Velthuis Farms of Osgoode.
Enright Farms of Renfrew won Breeder’s Herd and Champion Two Bulls Bred and Owned honours in the Angus show.
Klerevue Farms of Lindsay had the winning entry in the special ingredient category of the homemade buttertart competition.
