1989 Agribition Res Grand Champ Pen of Bulls

1986 Agribition Champion Pen of Angus Bulls

1985 Agribition Reserve Supreme Pen of Bulls

Agribition Grand Champion Pen of Bulls

Saskatchewan Angus Association
Board of Directors

In the herd building years of Southern Lane and later Sandy Bar, the Switzer family showed their cattle at area shows throughout Canada. There is no doubt that Bob, through his 4-H experience and working for other outfits, found the show ring bug … just like so many others throughout the 70’s and onward. Bob explains, “When I was young, we showed cattle for a source of summer income. Hayes classification paid good money and you could advertise your herd at the same time.”Always dedicated to their breed, they were successful showing steers and breeding cattle alike.When asked about his biggest win, Bob reluctantly stated, “The 1995 Farmfair Sweepstakes Championship was truly a highlight,” but went on to say, “Winning the pen shows over the past years is the ultimate and maybe that is why our cow herd looks like it does today.” As Switzer’s involvement in the commercial sector increased, showing decreased and he retired his show stick eleven years ago. Bob added, “Many breeders have shown cattle, but few can brag of transporting them to the Royal and back in a box car, then walking them from the train down Pasqua to the stadium for the first Agribition and then partake in the first swamp!”

Bob Switzer’s involvement in the Angus breed started at a young age and so did his involvement with boards and committees. As a director of the Saskatchewan Angus Association in the late 1970’s, he was instrumental in organizing the first Angus and Angus influenced feeder calf sale in Moose Jaw. It was an overwhelming success and led to sales in Assiniboia,Maple Creek,Mankota,Medicine Hat and in subsequent years, throughout Canada. In the early 1980’s, Bob assisted in starting the first feeder calf sale in Glasgow and Chinook, Montana, which are still going today. Bob recalled, “After we came up with this feeder sale plan in Moose Jaw, we had to find someone to buy these calves, so Larry Toner, Bob Larson and I boarded a plane and flew to Windsor, Ontario, to meet with Tom Cook. Tom was an order buyer who owned Lakewood Feedlot and on his sign at the lane it read “Black Angus Freezer Meats.” Tom gave us an old motor home and off the three of us went, turning in to any farm that had a silo in western Ontario.” The trip was a success, as eighty percent of the calves in the first sale went East, with Tom Cook purchasing the champion pens. Bob has made the trip every year since, for his annual tour and as the feeder market grew and flourished, so did the Sandy Bar bull trade.

In 1988, a group of producers from the area with a mutual complaint gathered for a meeting. Their concern was the fact that all cattle and grain was being shipped out of the province and with it, families followed. Their decision was to build a facility to feed their product with their product and employ local personnel. Since there are always rivalries among communities, it was agreed that one producer from each community would be appointed to the founding board of directors. At the first meeting, it was agreed that location would be based on proximity to a major highway, water, feed supply, three phase electricity and gas. The decision was made to build a feedlot west of Hazenmore just off highway 13…Red Coat Feeders was born. Bob recalls, “Brad Wildeman and Dale Blair were a great help in the formation. A group of us toured all the large feedlots through Western Canada, learning and decided to build a facility for ten thousand head with the capability to expand to twenty thousand. On July 6th, the first post was dug into the ground and the feedlot opened for cattle on October 6, 2000. Bob Switzer is a founding director and Past President of Red Coat and is very active, to this day, as a director, supplier and patron. Proudly, Switzer says, “Red Coat Feeders is a total community project that is running at a full 20,000 head capacity, has grown to thirteen quarters of land, operates seventeen full time staff and involves another three times that in spinoff. We accomplished what we set out to do.”