Every year, the Calgary Stampede and BMO Bank of Montreal recognize outstanding farm families in southern Alberta. The awards program was created to promote a renewed urban-rural relationship and to recognize outstanding southern Alberta farm families who best typify the value of the family farmer to our society. The program focuses on recognizing the contribution to the enhancement of quality of life as a family unit. Each year, the municipal districts in southern Alberta nominate one family. The families are brought to the Stampede for the BMO Farm Family Awards, which includes a reception, greetings from Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture, brunch, awards presentation, and family photograph session. The winning families are then treated to an afternoon Stampede Rodeo performance. The 2015 BMO Farm Family Awards were held on Monday, July 6 at the Palomino Room in the BMO Centre.
Congratulations to the families who were nominated for the 2015 Farm Family Awards!
Cardston County (Spring Coulee) – Bar XT Farms, J.R. & Nicki Thompson
County of Forty Mile No. 8 (Bow Island) – Specialty Seeds Ltd., Will & Jean Van Roessel
County of Newell (Brooks) – Brookside Farms Ltd., John & Charlotte Dyck; John & Gisela Dyck; Thomas & Pam Dyck
County of Warner (Milk River) – Ken & Nora Balog
Cypress County (Seven Person) – Peter-Built Farms, Trevor & Janet Biemans
Lethbridge County (Lethbridge) – DRT Farms Ltd., Darren & Kim Taylor
MD of Foothills #31 (Blackie) – Hansen Farms, Harold & Rick Hansen & families
MD of Pincher Creek #39 (Pincher Creek) – Brylor Ranch, Bryan & Sherry Mackenzie
MD of Taber (Vauxhall) – Pepneck Family Farm, Pepneck Family
MD of Willow Creek No. 26 (Stavely) – The Hall Farm, Roy,Karen, Byron, Brandon, Randal & Fred Hall
Mountain View County (Sundre) – Overguard Land & Cattle Company, Dennis & Joanne Overguard
Rocky View County (Springbank) – Rockyview Farm, Eric Longeway; Debbie, Danielle & Jeff Lee, Ken & Eric Longeway
Special Areas #2 (Hanna) – Quast Family Farms, Oscar, Glenn, Michelle & Brian Quast
Special Areas #3 (Sibbald) – Twin R Ranching, Rob & Rick Mundt & Families
Starland County (Morrin) – Riggs Farms Ltd., Riggs, Wolf & Wynia Families
Vulcan County (Champion) – Groves Family Farm, Dale & Diane Groves & Family
Wheatland County (Nightingale) – Walker’s Farm, Ernest & Joyce Walker; Dale, Michelle, Brittany, Breanne & Braden Walker
Download the biographies of each honoured family here.