Pontiac Holstein Club tops in Quebec: The annual Pontiac Holstein Club banquet had a special significance this year. In addition to the many trophies awarded to local dairy farmers at the Lions Hall Saturday night, the club itself took home a big prize this year.

“The Pontiac Holstein Club (PHC) was number one in Quebec, we scored the highest this year,” said president Gail Tracy. “I always knew we did well and this proves it.”

The club was selected first in the province based on a classification conducted by officials from Holstein Canada.

“It’s based on how the cattle are scored and their body type,” said Tracy, adding that, as far as she knows, this is the first time the PHC has won the award.

Tracy attributes the top rating to the advances local farmers have made in breeding.

The full house at the Lions Club also paid tribute to three farmers who retired in the past couple of years. Former Mansfield farmers Arnold and Brenda Yach, who retired in the spring, and former Clarendon dairy farmer Hillis Conolly, who sold out two years ago, were honoured by the club for the many contributions they made throughout the years.

After the fine roast beef dinner (catered by Kountry ’Kookin’ Café) and the awards and speeches were done, nine teams of three competed in an obstacle-course contest called “A day in the life of a farmer.”

The contestants went through the motions of getting dressed, putting together calf pullers, putting nipples on bottles, sweeping up, going to the bank, rounding up the herd (participants from the crowd), and putting together a soil sample.The fastest team, Janie McDougall, Colleen Corrigan, and Sandy Bassett, won $225, which they turned over to a good cause.

“They put the money towards the snow-suit fund,” said Tracy, adding that $126 raised in the carved pumpkin auction was donated to the CT scan fund.