DAVIDSON GELBVIEH - Key Persons

Eileen Gorrill grew up not far away, near the small town of Ponteix, Saskatchewan on a grain and commercial cattle operation. She remembers picking rocks into a steel wheeled wagon, getting central water in and out of their family home, helping her mother gather the milk cows for milk, separating milk, selling cream, and making butter for home use. Her dad made some of the first cabs for tractors in the area. Other fun memories include learning to drive and shift a three in the tree truck - making homemade ice cream on hot days and what a huge treat that was! 4-H was part of her fond memories of growing up, including sewing classes and later a 4-H horse project. Vernon and Eileen both went on to be 4-H leaders! Making do, fixing everything, and going to church Sundays, Sunday night suppers with family, friends and neighbours were the norm. Record keeping skills were learned and early on engraved as she watched many family members, more so her mother, Florence, today at 88, and her late paternal Grandfather Harold keeping records! After Vernon and Eileen were married on March 26th, 1976, they raised grain and commercial cattle for many years. Vernon purchased his first farmland at Cadillac in 1975 when he was 17 years old while completing his last year of high school. More land has since been added to that first 3 quarters of rocky farmland, and over time, many grain fields have been re-seeded to tame grass. Native pasture for grazing and grain production for feeding or selling, rounds out the typical production cycle each season. The Gelbvieh breed kept on speaking for itself in their feedlot, in the replacement females, and the resultant calf crop too! In 1986, Vernon convinced Eileen that they should raise seedstock cattle, not any breed, but Gelbvieh, 100%! Their kids were 7 year old Carla, Glen 5 years old, and Ross was 3 years old. Tyler was yet to be born in 1987! A busy happening time in this young family's life! Vernon & Eileen so appreciated and witnessed the calving ease, yet easy fleshing abilities, temperament, muscle, carcass yield, and the maternal, yet terminal characteristics the Gelbvieh breed contributed! Over the years, the commercial herd was sold and they began growing their herd of initially fullblood, and now purebred red and black Gelbvieh cattle. Black purebred genetics were first introduced in the fall of 1990 with the purchase of embryos from the Beartooth International Ranch at Columbus, Montana owned by Mel Gibson! And yes we all did get to meet him, several times, at both his ranch in Australia and Montana!

Job Titles:

• President of the Canadian Gelbvieh Association

Vernon Davidson grew up on a grain farm and commercial cattle operation, in the Cadillac, Saskatchewan area, learning breeding, selecting, feeding, and AIing cattle from his dad, Angus Davidson. It wasn't long before he was part of 4-H and learning all the ins and outs of record keeping, halter breaking, clipping, and showing cattle! Breaking his horse, learning to rope, square bales, and some stoking of grain sheaves were the norm. He easily remembers the use of stock racks to transport cattle to market or wherever cattle needed to be taken. Cream cans, Sunday night suppers with family & neighbours, driving early, neighbours' brandings, and the first colour TV are part of their family's earliest fond memories growing up! Vernon has served as President of the Canadian Gelbvieh Association. Always supportive of the cattle industry, they are also members of the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers Association, the American Gelbvieh Association, the Man/SK Gelbvieh Association, the BC/AB Gelbvieh Association and the Montana Gelbvieh Association. Vernon and Eileen have both served in the director capacity of the Man/Sk Gelbvieh Association. Eileen served as a Director on the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers Association from 2007 - 2011. She was once again elected to the Man/Sk Gelbvieh Association in December 2020. Eileen is also a representative for the Gelbvieh breed, part of the Beef Committee at Canadian Western Agribition. She has enjoyed working and contributing to this committee for many years.