TORONTO — The problems that have plagued the US show
industry have not occurred to a large degree in Canada. "But I’m
not going to tell you nothing ever happened," said Gord Crawford,
chairman of the Royal Beef Committee. "I wasn’t born under a
cabbage leaf."
Over the last three years only one animal has died
because of tampering at the Royal. The actual causes of death was
pneumonia.
He says the Canadian system is much different. In the
US top winners of steer shows often bring in $40,000 or $50,000. The
cattle are owned by professional fitters. The 4-H girl who shows the
animal is the owner on paper.
He says there has been some problem with the Queen’s
Guineas in the past but nothing in the last six or seven years. Winners in
the Queen’s Guineas take home about $10,000.
But illegal practices are dying out. "There are
some old boys who were pretty slick at it years ago, but that’s not a
practice now with the younger fellows," he said.
But some precautions are used. The Royal uses random
blood testing for drugs in the market livestock show.
He says he’s not that concerned about the purebred
side of the show. A breeder lives and dies by his reputation in the
livestock business. A pure bred dealer needs a market.
