Vernon’s Cassie Marchand is the second recipient of the Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award.
“It’s very special for sure; having that recognition to be a leader in the industry. I honestly don’t think of myself in that light,” says Marchand, the fourth generation on the Clifton Ranch. “I always try to get information and share that information with people and bring different people together and support people as much as I can.”
The award is named for former Canadian Cattle Association president Reg Schellenberg, who died in 2022. It honours young leaders who embody the humble leadership, mentorship, collaboration and dedication for which Schellenberg was known.
Marchand, a 2023 finalist in the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program, demonstrates these qualities at Clifton Ranch as she assists with marketing and social media for the family-run operation, and in the office as an agricultural lender with the Bank of Montreal.
“Reg was a big advocate for this program, getting youth involved and giving youth a seat at the table,” says Marchand. “To see how much [the program] gives everybody a really good foundation and it’s like a diving board to leap into things. I would say that the program is very successful. It just seems every year they’re expanding it with more sponsored support, more industry involvement. I see the program just getting better and better.”
She was nominated for the award by her 16 Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program peers and was selected amongst four finalists following interviews with herself and mentor Sarah Wray. Schellenberg’s family presented Marchand with the award at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Saskatoon on August 20.
“We wanted to acknowledge youth coming in through the Cattlemen’s Young Leader program who exemplified these attributes that Reg possessed,” says CCA past president and chair of the Canadian Cattle Foundation Bob Lowe. “[Cassie] exemplifies Reg’s attributes – very humble, very engaged, very family-oriented.”
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.
Co-op closure leaves growers in the lurch