2015 CURTIS CLARK AWARD WINNER
ROB CREST, SKYCREST HOLSTEINS, AB
Robert “Rob” Crest of Skycrest Holsteins, Athabasca, Alberta, was named the 2015 Curtis Clark Achievement Award winner at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ont., on November 13th. He is the 29th recipient of this award which was established by the Alberta Holstein Branch in 1988 to honour the late Curtis Clark of Acme Holsteins, a respected Alberta Holstein breeder, cowman and showman. The award is presented annually at the Royal to the Canadian dairy cattle exhibitor who possesses the ability, sportsmanship and dedication necessary to be respected by his peers. Selection of the winner is made by former recipients of the award.
Rob Crest, 46, is a partner in Skycrest Holsteins with his wife Sue, children Chad and Katelyn, and parents, John and Vickie Crest. Five generations of Crests have farmed at this northern Alberta farm that today encompasses over 2500 acres of land and has a 66-head tie-stall barn which includes 20 Excellent, 63 Very Good and 16 Good Plus cows. The Crest family was “Alberta Holstein Breeder of the Year” in 2013 and 2005. The family purchased their first purebred Holsteins in the early 1980s. Rob showed a keen interest in dairy cattle at a young age. A 4-H member while growing up, he participated in the Scotiabank Hays Classic and Western Canadian Classic (WCC) where in 1987 he was reserve grand champion showman.
Crest has been showing cattle for over 30 years and has travelled many miles exhibiting the Skycrest showstring. He was still a teenager, and in 4-H, when he started taking Skycrest cattle to the shows in 1984. He began first at the local shows in Alberta, and now makes regular trips with the cattle liner to major shows throughout Western Canada, as well as frequent trips to the Royal Winter Fair in Ontario and occasionally to World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin. From trucking, caring, fitting and showing, Crest is capable of doing it all with ease.
The Skycrest herd has won many All-Western and All-Canadian awards. One of their early winners was Donvue Astro Annie (Ex-4E), a two-time Reserve and three-time Honourable Mention All-Western winner who was nominated for All-American senior 3-year-old in 1993. The majority of the Skycrest winners, however, have been homebred animals, reflecting the Crest family’s strong emphasis on type in the herd. Among their favourites are: Skycrest Eminent Penny (VG-1*), grand champion at the National Convention Show in British Columbia and Reserve All-Western 4-year-old in 1995; Skycrest Cinder Elaine (Ex), Honourable Mention All-Canadian as a 4-year-old in 1997 and again as a 5-year-old in 1998; and Skycrest Ambush Icicle (Ex-3E-2*), who was nominated for All-Canadian three straight years as a junior 2-year-old, junior 3-year-old and 4-year-old in 1996-97-98. A more recent homebred winner has been Skycrest Jasper Nosebleed (VG-86-2y) who took All-Canadian and All-Canadian 4-H summer yearling honours in 2010 after winning her class at the Royal. In addition to Nosebleed, four more heifers bearing the Skycrest prefix have been nominated in the All-Canadian 4-H classes for Rob and Sue¹s children.
Skycrest Holsteins has won many Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor banners. They were Premier Breeder at Calgary Dairy Classic Championship Show in 2010-11-12-13-14, Westerner Championship Dairy Showcase in 2008-09-10-12, British Columbia Spring Show in 2011, and the National Convention Show in Manitoba in 2012. They were Premier Exhibitor at Calgary Dairy Classic Championship Show in 2011-13-14, Western Canadian Livestock Expo in 2011, and Westerner Championship Dairy Showcase in 2012.
Crest has served as a director for the Alberta Holstein Branch and his local Holstein Club. He has worked behind the scenes at the WCC, trucking cattle for the Alberta participants and serving as a chaperon for Team Alberta. He has also trucked 4-H calves from the west to the Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic at the Royal and been a chaperone for members there. Young people respect and look up to Crest who is always willing to share his talents and experience.
A quiet, determined man, none of Crest¹s many achievements have come easy, but he has accomplished them with hard work and a ready smile. He is a friendly, well-liked face on the show circuit. Rob and his wife Sue have taken great joy in watching their children, Chad and Katelyn, succeed in their own 4-H dairy club work and now take an active role in the herd and farm.
Rob Crest knew the late Curtis Clark. As a fellow Alberta Holstein breeder, he says it is a great honour to receive this Alberta legacy. Crest was presented with a gold belt buckle as a personal keepsake of this award at
the Royal. His name will also be added to the distinctive Clark trophy which bears a bronzed version of Curtis Clark¹s hat.
