Three ranching families were honoured at the Friends of the Bar U 19th Annual Stockman's Dinner last weekend in High River.

The Pioneer Family Honouree's were the descendents of Sandy and Annie Robertson, Harry Sr. and Bessie Feist, and the Stoney Tribe from Eden Valley.

Alex Robertson presented his family's ranching history at the Dinner, along with his daughters Morgan and Christina.

Robertson says, his grandfather immigrated to Canada from Scotland.

"The presentation was a history of our ranch from when Grandfather immigrated to Canada in 1903, moved out to Alberta in 1904, and then Grandmother first arrived in 1912. So it was a history of what Grandfather did in the early years, and then Grandmother came and they got married, and then they started a family and continued on."

Robertson says, there were some unique stories in the tragedy of their family history.

"The worst of the tragedy when Grandfather passed away when he was about 47 in 1929, was my family, my aunts and dad, had to all move into High River with their mom to be raised in town, because they wouldn't allow a widow to stay on the farm by herself."

He says, the Robertson Ranch history also ties into the Bar U Ranch.

"One of the sections we have was bought directly from the Bar U when they sold in 1950-51, so that was kind of neat for us to have that section plus to be honoured with the Pioneer Family and have some of the land that used to be the Bar U."

Robertson says, the Stockman's Dinner had a very good turnout of just under 300 people.

 

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