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A Tribute, by Christine Pike In my opinion there are four cornerstones to the Speckle Park breed. The first cornerstone is, of course, the late Mary Lindsay. I know I am biased when I say that some of the best stockmen and women are Scottish and even today Mary is not forgotten by certain people in the world of cattle breeders. In 2007, she was recognized posthumously for her work in bringing Highland cattle to Canada for the first time, from the land of her birth. Although Bill Lamont in his day had a superb physique, he wasn't a tall man. He's just the right height to carry on his shoulders those who wanted to stand on them and crow, "Look at me! Look at me!"
The second cornerstone is another woman, Eileen Lamont. It was she who bought the first cow from Mary Lindsay, Bill said he would like one "for something different to look at." That cow and the subsequent cows purchased from Mary were crossed with Bill's excellent Black Angus bulls and the story began. Bill was an excellent stockman and a gifted horseman of Scottish ancestry and he had a good eye for livestock. He would never have raised the Angus which appeared later: six feet tall, six inches wide and slab-faced. His animals were deep, with strong, straight backs. Should the Speckle Park lose these characteristics they will just be coloured scrubs. And so, Bill Lamont was the third and most prominent cornerstone. The fourth cornerstone of those early days was Edward Melchior. For over thirty years he was a P.F.R.A. (Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act) Pasture Manager. When he retired he was given a banquet, a citation and many words of appreciation. He looked after other people's cattle as well as he looked after his own: very well indeed. When Bill Lamont first began to have health problems it was Edward who offered to take that first Speckle Park herd to care for them. When they were returned they were in good condition and all present. Why not? - it was one real and honest cattleman helping out another of that stamp. They were two men of the handshake era. On looking back, it would have been a good move had Bill Lamont offered Edward a couple of heifers. Had he done so, their genes would not have been thrown away through ignorance or carelessness; they would still be in the breed. But Edward expected no favours, no special treatment. What he had acquired on his own. As it is, anyone with Al-Ann or Leigh-Ann in the bloodlines of their cattle will know they are descended from the Melchior herd, Speckle Park to Speckle Park since 1974. After Edward died in May of 2008, Eileen Lamont stated that she did not know what would have happened had he not taken care of the original herd during that time.
The first person to do the prepatory work on Speckle Park cattle records was the late Dorothy Burden. She was raised in the Rereshill District south of Lashburn, Saskatchewan. Her secretarial training took her first to Lloydminster, then to Calgary where she would become top secretary at the Calgary Stampede and Exhibition Association office before her marriage to James Buchanan, cousin to Bill Lamont. When she worked in Lloydminster she used to do many livestock record papers for Justamere Farm. (The first recorder/secretary for the Speckle Park Association as such was Victoria Rolston, in Adanac, near Unity. The first papers had a skilful drawing of a Speckle Park heifer in the background, rendered by Eileen Lamont, professional artist.)
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