Legacy fund to support young leaders in honour of Reg Schellenberg unveiled at CBIC

The Canadian Cattle Foundation was honoured to mark the creation of the Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award, to support the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference.

The first recipient of this award is Carling Matejka from Ponoka, Alberta. Carling was presented the award by members of the Schellenberg family, the Foundation, and the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference at this year’s CYL graduation on August 15, 2023.

“Reg Schellenberg was a strong leader for the Canadian beef industry and passionate about its next generation,” said Bob Lowe, Chair of the Foundation. “The Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award aims to honour individuals who embody the spirit of humble leadership, mentorship, collaboration, and dedication to the Canadian cattle industry, and serves as a symbol of the type of leader Reg was to us all.”

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.

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 will include a belt buckle donated by the Schellenberg family ranch, Perrin Ranching 1990 LTD, and a travel bursary to attend the 2024 Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.

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.

In addition, the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference has generously donated $10,000 to the Reg Schellenberg Legacy Fund to support this award. The Foundation is extremely grateful for this support shown from his home province that will go a long way in honouring Reg’s long-lasting legacy in the Canadian beef industry.

“Raising cattle is our way of life, and the people of the beef industry have become like family to us,” said Shannon Schellenberg, Reg’s wife. “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.”

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.