The final spring bull sale for R Plus Simmentals proved to be the best yet.
Mar 16, 2022
The final spring bull sale for R Plus Simmentals proved to be the best yet.
The sale was held on March 7 at the R Plus ranch west of Estevan. Marlin LeBlanc, who operates the ranch with his wife Lucille, said the highest-selling bull brought in $160,000, and another bull attracted $82,000. One female generated $43,000.
The sale average exceeded $10,000 on over 100 lots.
“We’ve had some success, lately, in the last few years, and we feel that our cow herd’s as strong as it’s ever been, and it’s time to share it with other people,” said LeBlanc.
LeBlanc didn’t decide that this would be the final sale until the day that it happened. And when he told his wife that it was time to sell and end a tradition that lasted nearly 30 years, she was likely more surprised than anybody.
“When the sale’s over, I go right back calving cows,” he said. “We don’t get time to be happy or celebrate or anything. So that’s when I decided that night that I’m too old to keep doing it.”
A few days after the sale was finished, R Plus Simmentals announced the decision on its Facebook page, and that on Dec. 21 and 22, they would be offering their entire Simmental program, including cows, bred heifers, heifer calves and their bull crop. It has been one of the largest registered Simmental herds in Canada.
The Facebook post thanked all of the buyers and bidders for their “overwhelming” support this year,
“We are humbled to see the confidence that is placed in our programs offering. We are extremely blessed to have done this for almost 30 years, and it never ceases to amaze me all of the excitement bull sale season brings to our industry,” the post said.
LeBlanc said it’s time to take on a new challenge, and the purebred industry is very time consuming. He’s looking forward to spending more time with family.
