Brantford, Ontario – Nov 17, 2023 –
Markus Hehli Named 2023 Curtis Clark Award Winner
Markus Hehli of Mosnang Holsteins & Jerseys, Rimbey, Alberta, has won the Curtis Clark Achievement Award for 2023. His selection was announced on November 10th during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
Markus Hehli is a selfless, hard working, personable young Holstein and Jersey breeder “dedicated to all things cows”. He began clipping and fitting cattle at shows and sales as a teenager and was soon helping such respected Western Canada showstrings as Stanhope-Wedgwood, Morsan and Westcoast. At 15, he took his family’s first Holstein exhibit to the shows by himself. Since then, Mosnang Holsteins has been Premier Breeder and Exhibitor at Alberta Dairy Congress, Westerner Dairy Showcase and Calgary Dairy Classic Championship Show, as well as being runner-up for Overall Premier Breeder at the 2022 Royal Winter Fair. Several generations of the farm’s famed “L Cow Family” has provided the Hehlis with their greatest Holstein show achievements with members like Mosnang Saloon Liquor, Mosnang Solomon Liquify, Mosnang Unix Lipstick and Mosnang Bridgestone Live Wire earning a host of top awards at major shows in North America as well as in the All-Canadian and All-American contests. On the Jersey side, cows like Bramville Golden Boy Zippy and Batesdale Topkea Jade Of Fun have won Grand Championships for Mosnang at Western Canada shows. In 2022, Markus and his wife Amanda were recognized with Jersey Canada’s Young Achiever Award. A quiet gentleman with a passion for cows, Markus has judged shows in Canada, the United States, Brazil and Mexico. He is a member of the Westerner Dairy Showcase Dairy Cattle Committee and served for several years on Holstein Canada’s Show & Judging Committee. He and Amanda have four children and today partner with his parents, Heini and Ruth Hehli who established Mosnang Holsteins in 1980, in this family farm corporation which has been recognized three times as Alberta Holstein Breeder of the Year. Together the Hehlis milk 110 Holsteins and 10 Jerseys in a herd comprised of 10 Multiple Excellent, 12 Excellent, 75 Very Good and 29 Good Plus cows.
Markus Hehli is the 35th recipient of the Clark award which recognizes a Canadian dairy cattle exhibitor who is respected by their peers for their ability, sportsmanship and dedication. The Alberta Holstein Association established the award in 1988 to honour the late Curtis Clark of Acme Holsteins, a noted Alberta Holstein breeder, cowman and showman.
For more information, contact Bonnie Cooper, Secretary, Curtis Clark Achievement Award Committee, 904 – 12 Rockford Road, North York, ON M2R 3A2; Cell: 416-579-6572; Home: 416-663-8515; e-mail: becooper2010@gmail.com.
About Holstein Canada
With 9,200 members, Holstein Canada is responsible for maintaining the Holstein Herdbook under the Federal Animal Pedigree Act of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The Association provides many services to its members to help them evaluate, select and improve their herds through genetic improvement programs. For more information, visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.