Breton West Herefords :: Ranch History

Eugene and Norma

The original farm purchased by Eugene and Norma near Breton in 1968 needed a lot "TLC" to update it to the current purebred cattle ranch it is today.  The farm needed everything - fences, buildings, a well, and even power had to be brought in to bring light to the fledgling operation!

Leonard

That same year, the Poholka's first son, Michael, was born, followed two years later by his brother, Leonard. After a few years to develop the pastures, yard, calving barns and corrals, the opportunity came in 1974 to purchase our first registered Hereford cattle from Kells Hagen of Rimbey, Alberta. During those early years, Eugene taught school while Norma did plenty of choring and usually did the bull selling too.  With Eugene and the boys at school, there were many springs that she could boast a perfect record of selling a bull to each person that drove in the yard to look at the bulls!

My 25 year pin - March 07

The Breton West herd name came about unintentionally. Our first full-page advertisement came out in the 1985 Herd Sire Edition of the Canadian Hereford Digest. Our headline on the ad read "From Best by Test to Breton West".  You see, our two young Hereford sires were purchased at the "Best by Test" sale and dad wanted our first ad title to be catchy and rhyme, so "West" was added.  After that people starting asking us, "how are things at Breton West?", so we took the name on permanently. Obviously dad's slogan served it's purpose and put our new registered herd on the Hereford map!

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