The Canadian Cattle Foundation (the Foundation) presented the second annual Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award to support the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program last night at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference.
The recipient of the 2024 award Cassie Marchand from Vernon, BC was presented by Lynn Grant, Vice President of the Foundation & Canadian Cattle Association Board member.
The Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award honours individuals who embody the spirit of humble leadership, mentorship, collaboration and dedication to the Canadian cattle industry, and mirrors Reg’s dedicated leadership.
“Reg Schellenberg demonstrated strong leadership in the Canadian beef industry and is passionate about seeing future generations of producers succeed,” said Bob Lowe, Chair of the Foundation.
In December 2022, Reg Schellenberg, President of the Canadian Cattle Association, suddenly passed away. In lieu of flowers, the Schellenberg family requested that donations be made through the Canadian Cattle Foundation to support the Canadian (CYL) Program.
“On behalf of our family, thank you to the Canadian Cattle Foundation and Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Program for working with us to honour Reg’s legacy and his contributions to build a strong industry for the next generation,” Shannon Schellenberg, Reg’s wife.
Through this fund, each year, a CYL graduate will be selected to receive the Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award. To recognize the exceptional qualities and contributions of the nominee, the judging committee will select an outstanding young leader who embodies the same dedication and leadership for the Canadian beef sector that Reg displayed. The award includes a travel bursary to attend the 2025 Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference along with a belt buckle donated by the Schellenberg family ranch, Perrin Ranching 19960 Ltd.
CYLs were encouraged to nominate one of their peers for the award based on criteria built with the Schellenberg family, including but not limited to being a positive, humble leader with the ability to bring people together to achieve a common goal, and being an overall exceptional ambassador of the Canadian beef industry. Interviews were conducted with the top nominees to select this year’s recipient.
The Foundation would also like to acknowledge the donation of $10,000 from the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in 2023 to support this award. The Foundation is extremely grateful for this support shown from Reg’s home-province of Saskatchewan, which will help to continue his long-lasting legacy in the Canadian beef industry.
If you would like to contribute to the Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award, or if you are interested in partnering with the Canadian Cattle Foundation to invest in the next generation of the Canadian beef industry, please contact foundation@cattle.ca.