Provincial Shows

Mink shows began in 1930, and as the decade progressed became annual events in some provinces. The field days and small local competitions started to occur at the end of the thirties. Both are important to our mink history because, only Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes had lists of the mink ranchers in business at the end of the thirties, thus the prize lists of these shows and competitions are the only existing record of some of these ranchers names. To create some discipline in this mass of published show reports, we start with the first reported show and follow it with all the shows in that particular province, up to and including 1940. We then move to the next province to begin shows and do the same thing. We found some of the show reports to be inaccurate, incomplete, or both; but this isn't important. We are seeking ranchers' identities and are not concerned about which champion is which. The field days occurring as they do near the end of this period will be treated separately. In this decade there was only one kind of mink shown, the so-called standard dark brown. The terms Eastern, Yukon and Alaskan pertain to origin not to colour.

The first live mink show was held at the Winter Fair in Vancouver, B.C. from December 10th to 13th, 1930. It was named the B.C. Fox and Fur Farmers Association Show was open to foxes of all types, fisher, marten, black raccoon and mink. The list of mink prize winners published in the February 1931 issue of the Fur Trade Journal was as follows:

The following year the British Columbia Mink Breeders held another show at Hastings Park, Vancouver from November 30th to December 3rd, 1931. The prize winners as published in the January 1932 issue of the Fur Trade Journal were as follows:

The first show in eastern Canada was the Great Eastern International Mink Show held at Sherbrooke, Quebec, November 9th to 14th, 1931. It justified the name of 'International' by having four American ranchers exhibiting. They were C. T. Gadsden and W. K. Wicks of Montana and J. J. Davies and Morton McAllister of Vermont. This show set a record, never since equalled, in the realms of prize giving. Of the two hundred and fifty-seven mink exhibited, two hundred and thirty-two were given recognition of some sort. My curiosity at this late date concerns the appearance of those who didn't impress the judges.

The only way to explain this astonishing result is to quote from the official report published in that December's Fur Trade Journal, "The classes were judged by the following well-known mink fur experts: A. M. Jones, Hudson's Bay Company, M. Duclos, Revillon Freres, J. Bastien, Holt Renfrew & Co.

"Each mink was scored independently by each judge on a pelt basis under the following considerations, namely, quality, colour, character, and size.

"In each of the following classes, namely, male mink kit, female mink kit, adult male mink, female mink adult, the original idea was to have a championship and reserve championship and for all mink coming up to an approved standard, an award of a certificate of merit.

" However when it came to the consideration of championships and reserves there were so many mink in each class that was on a par that the judges decided to award ties with the following results:

The amazing result was that in four classes the judges awarded a total of seventeen champions and thirty-three reserve champions. There were one hundred and fifty-nine awards of merit and twenty-three prize winners in other categories making a total of two hundred and thirty-two awards in a two hundred and fifty-seven mink show.

This generosity wasn't enough for two of the exhibitors. In their subsequent advertising, one claimed one more reserve champion than he won, as well as the grand champion of the show. The other claimed four grand champions. This caused the editor of the Fur Trade Journal some pain. In the January 1932 issue, there was the following editorial "There is one matter in connection with the International Mink Show and the awards made that should be brought to the attention, not only of the general readers but to the advertisers as well. Some advertisers in describing their mink as prize winners, describe them as grand champions when it should simply be champions. This it is felt should be corrected for the reason of any wrong impression that might get out to the effect that championships and reserve championships were being handed out right and left. The policy of making the classification of a champion is a matter of excellence and not a matter of competition."

The only other Quebec Fur Show that occurred in this period was a most ambitious and successful event stage-managed by Dr and Mrs J. E. Laforest. It was a combined live animal and fur fashion show, held in Quebec City from November 28th to December 3rd, 1938. The mink judges were Robert W. Fraser and Dr R. G. Law. The prize list was not published, but the championships were. The Grand Champion of the show and champion adult female went to Dr J. E. Laforest. Reserve Grand Champion and Adult Champion Male went to Aramis Talbot. Champion young male: Carl C. McClay; Champion young female A. B. Massabkey.

The fashion show was staged in the ballroom of the Chateau Frontenac under the patronage of the Lt. Governor, the Hon. E. L. Patenaude and his Lady and was viewed by 1,200 guests mostly from the city's social set. The garments were supplied by the Quebec City Furriers and model-led by professionals. All in all the most prestigious fur promotion the industry had seen up until this time.

The International Fur Fair at Winnipeg in 1933, began a series of top-notch fox and mink shows. The name was changed to Western Canada Fox and Mink Show the following year. The 1937 show, was the fifth consecutive and last show we can find until November of 1941. It was now called the Winnipeg Fur Animal Show.

The January 1934 issue of the Fur Trade Journal reports on the first show. "The first International Fur Fair held at the Winnipeg Civic Auditorium opened on Monday, December 4th, and closed the following Saturday.

"The animals were housed in the basement of the building which at times became a little too warm for their comfort. There were on view two hundred silver foxes, one hundred and sixty-nine mink, one hundred and twenty-two fitches, also marten, fisher, raccoon and rabbits.

"The judging of the foxes commenced on Tuesday and the mink on Wednesday afternoon, both finishing late on Thursday. The foxes were a very fine selection indeed, with some very keen competition, especially in the more silvery classes; in fact, there were some foxes put off the table that would have gained red ribbons a year or two ago.

"The mink have also made great strides and the judges were amazed at the all-round quality shown; a tremendous improvement on a few years ago when, as the judges aptly put it, breeders simply bred for breeding stock regardless of pelt quality or value. Now it is a case of getting down to a pelt basis and a very good job is being done indeed.

"Shortly before the Fair opened, the Hudson's Bay Company announced that they were presenting nine silver cups for the annual competition, with small replicas to be held by the winners, for foxes, mink and marten, also $1,00.00 for the Grand Champion fox and mink. The Fair Committee also presented three silver cups for an annual competition.

"The fair was very well patronized by the public especially one afternoon when several hundred schoolchildren invaded the auditorium, much to the embarrassment of the authorities. However, there appeared to be very little demand for breeding stock, according to the breeders who were showing. This certainly was not the fault of the animals on display which had come from as far east as Montreal and as far west as British Columbia.

We can find no record of the prize winners in the 1934 show and the only reference in the magazines was in the November issue of the Fur Trade Journal when the editor noted, "the Western Canada Fur Animal Exhibition will be held in Winnipeg from November 20th to 24th and will be open to exhibitors of silver foxes, mink, fitch, fisher and marten from all parts of the world."

The 1935 Winnipeg Show was held November 12th to 15th and the mink section was pretty well dominated by three breeders. We quote from the Canadian Silver Fox and Fur, December issue, the following: "The mink classes offered stiff competition. The judges were H. P. Warne and Joseph Gassner of Winnipeg. Some discussion arose regarding the showing of mink for judging. Opinions differed as to whether the mink should be left in their cages or handled. It was decided to leave the mink in the cages, with the judges making their decisions mainly with the eye. The judging of mink for show purposes, to give complete satisfaction is still a question which remains to be solved.

The 1936 Winnipeg Show, which was held from November 30th until December 5th and drew two hundred and forty mink entries was judged by Henry Streiff. The prize winners were published in the January 1937 issue of the Fur Trade Journal of Canada.

The 1937 show, was the last of the Manitoba live shows to be staged at Winnipeg during the decade ending in 1940. W. P. Ewen of the Canadian Fur Auction Sales Limited was the judge. The mink as in the previous year were divided into two general classes, Quebec and Yukon. The prize winners were published in the December 1937 issue of the Canadian Silver Fox and Fur:

The Ontario Raw Fur Exhibition began December 18th to 20th, 1934, at the Carls-Rite Hotel in Toronto, as a fox and mink pelt show. It ran for fifteen unbroken years and by that time, the fox business was collapsing and the mink end of the show continued for several more years. Our interest is limited to the seven years up to and including 1940. In that first year, the judges of the show were F. H. Pingree and S. C. Loffree. It doesn't say which of the judges looked after the mink. There were eleven mink pelts exhibited and the prize winners were:

In 1935, the name was changed to the Ontario Fur Farmers Pelt Show and the location was changed to the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, its home for many years to come. December 17th to 19th were the dates and thirty-seven mink pelts were entered. The judge was Robert W. Fraser and the prize list is as follows:

The 1936 show was held on December 18th to 20th and there were sixty mink pelts entered. Robert Fraser again was the judge and made the following placings:

In 1937, the show attracted one hundred and six mink pelts and was held from December 15th to 17th. The mink judge was Jack E. Veasey who gave all the champions and all but one of the reserve champions to Martin & Stevens. The prize list is as follows:

W. M. Ritchie judged the mink from December 15th to 16th, 1938. There were one hundred and fifty pelts entered and the prize winners were:

There were three hundred and seventeen pelts entered December 18th to 21st, 1939. A. Levin was the judge and the awards were:

In the December 16th to 19th, 1940 show there were two surprises. The one thousand, and eleven mink pelts entered outnumbered the fox pelts for the first time. The other surprise was that A. E. Swaim took all the championships but one. The judge was the noted Boston furrier, John W. Taylor. Prizes are as follows:

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair which began in 1922 and rapidly became one of the best livestock and farm products shows in the world decided in 1937, after a lapse of seven years, to revive the silver fox show and to it was added a section for mink. This was Ontario's first live mink show and it was open to international competition. Frank C. Gothier was the mink judge. The Royal Winter Fair Mink Show ran from November 16th to 24th, 1937 and we quote the write-up that appeared in the December issue of the Canadian Silver Fox & Fur:

"The Yukons provided a class of fifty-two minks, thirteen in each class, small numbers because there are not very many breeders who are attempting to breed a high-quality mink of the type. The judge announced them as a high class throughout.

"In the Easterns, the male kits provided the largest class (fifty-three) and a win in that competition was an honour. Female kits made nearly as big a class and certainly, a fine quality lot of minks were shown throughout. In the old females, after the judge had picked the first, he had a time checking the balance and the next dozen were almost equal in quality he wanted to give two seconds, two-thirds, etc., but this had not been arranged for and could not be done. Many on the table who were not placed officially were close to the equals of those placed from second to fifth. Old males brought out some real top-quality breeding animals.

"On the whole, while it was the first mink show held in Ontario there were only half a dozen undesirable animals exhibited. It was the first time that the Ontario exhibitors had an opportunity to compare their mink with those of other breeders. Ontario exhibitors had the hardest competition from the United States and Manitoba exhibitors who have shown at many shows and knew what to expect. There were exhibitors from New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, United States and Ontario; and the judge, Mr Frank Gothier, expressed himself fully satisfied with the quality exhibited.

"Some dissatisfaction was expressed over the length of time the mink, and in some cases, the foxes were cooped, and hopes were expressed that next year the duration could be shortened. "The Mink was shown in Eastern and Yukon classes but in this first show, no championships were awarded. The prize list is as follows:

In 1938, the Royal Winter Fair Mink Show was advertised as November 15th to 23rd but the time in the pens at the show was reduced to three days and the show area "was closed to the hordes of children on children's day and so the over excitement of the animals, which took place last year, was avoided." W. P. Ewen of Montreal was the judge. The following appeared in the December issue of the Canadian Silver Fox & Fur: "The mink exhibit was staged exactly as it was in 1937 and it was possible to have all Eastern mink in stalls as to section, i.e. the old males, the old females, the young males and the young females were all separate and this was a great help when it came to the job of placing them on the bench before the judge. Entries appeared from the United States, eastern Quebec, western Canada and all over Ontario. From reports received the quality as a whole was as good as could be gathered together for any show in America. Yukons were again a minor class in numbers but lacked nothing in quality. There were some marvellous mink there and they promise to rival the Easterns in future years.

" Mr W. P. Ewen did the judging and with his years of experience in grading furs and judging at live mink shows, he proved himself fast and capable. We never heard a dissenting voice on the awards as placed on the table.

"The largest was the Eastern female kits (class) with about seventy entries, beautiful breeding prospects which augurs well for the future of the industry. Many were turned down that would be in the very top bundles if pelted. Young Eastern males were also a stiff class and the winning male kit, which was the champion male of the Eastern class, also proved to be the grand champion mink of the show, a beautiful animal in every respect."

In 1939, World War II broke out and the facilities of the Royal Winter Fair became military barracks. We quote from 'The Royal' W. P. Watson's excellent book on the history of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair "When Canada entered the war in September of that year, buildings that could be converted into barracks were commandeered by the military. Among the first to be requisitioned were the Coliseum and its adjacent buildings. Thousands of troops were stationed there between 1939 and 1945 and, of course, the Royal was cancelled during that period."

Nova Scotia's first mink show was reported in the December 1938 issue of the Canadian Silver Fox & Fur: "The first mink show ever held in the Maritime Provinces was held at Lawrencetown, Annapolis County, N.S., on November 14th and 15th under the auspices of the Central Nova Scotia Mink Breeders' Club. This club was organized early in the year with membership limited to Nova Scotia.

"The show was beyond all expectations, there being 233 mink exhibited and an estimated attendance of five hundred people. Hon. J. W. Comeau, minister without portfolio and member of the N.S. Legislature from Digby opened the show on the evening of the 14th. Other speakers at the opening were: Dr E. E. I. Hancock, Provincial Animal Pathologist, Truro; Raymond LeBlanc, Agricultural Representative for Digby County, and Donald White, Agricultural Representative for Annapolis County.

"A banquet was held on the last evening at which over ninety were present. After the banquet, addresses were given by Hon. J. W. Comeau, Judge K. L. Crowell, Bridgetown; R. LeBlanc and G. H. Myers, of Lampson, Fraser & Huth Inc., who judged the show. O. A. Eisner extended the greeting from the citizens of Lawrencetown to the club and congratulated them on such a fine show. Mr T. B. Chipman, fur grader for the Nova Scotia Fox Breeders' Association, and E. M. MacDougall, Secretary of the Nova Scotia Silver Fox Breeders' Association, also extended congratulations and emphasized the importance of shows.

"The president of the club is Mr M. P. Neily, and the secretary is George O. Armour.

It is interesting to note that D. A. McRae who is the earliest mink rancher we can find in this century did a fair job of cleaning up the important prizes in the show.

But it pales by comparison to what he did in the 2nd Nova Scotia Show which was held on November 15th to 16th, 1939 we quote from the February 1940 issue of the Fur Trade Journal: "The two-day Mink show of the Nova Scotia Mink Breeders' Association was the first show of this kind ever to be held in Middleton, and the second show under the auspices of the Nova Scotia Branch, the first one being held at Lawrencetown last year. There were one hundred and sixty-four entries and twenty-three exhibitors. G. H. Mayers of Lampson, Fraser & Huth Inc., New York, was judge, with the following results:

Amateur Judging Competition: 1, Fred Simpson, Round Hill; 2, Wilfred Sweeney, Middleton; 3, W. L. Baker; 4, Ronald Neily, Middleton.

The third Nova Scotia show was reported in the December 1940 issue of the Canadian Silver Fox & Fur as follows: "The third annual mink show of the Nova Scotia Mink Breeders' Association was held on November 21st and 22nd in the curling rink, Middleton. There were over one hundred mink shown. This is slightly fewer than last year, but a few of the larger exhibitors could not show mostly on account of abnormal conditions, The average quality of the mink shown, clearly demonstrates the value of shows as there was scarcely a poor mink in the number. Mr George Mayers of Lampson, Fraser & Huth Inc., acted as a judge for the third year and everyone believes that Mr Mayers finally picked the correct winners, but the decisions were very close in many classes.

"The best eastern male of the show was an adult belonging to W. L. Baker and the best eastern female was won by a kit belonging to Donald Urquhart. The best Yukon male was won by a kit owned by Harold Mappleback, and the best Yukon female was won by an adult owned by Trail's End Ranch.

"An amateur judging competition was held the last afternoon and created considerable interest. The winners were: 1st, Ezra Potter; 2nd, W. L. Baker; 3rd, Dr L. Stone. The first prize is a cup, the second prize is $3.00 and the third prize is $2.00. These were all donated by Lampson, Fraser & Huth, Inc.

"One of the attractions of the show was an adult Eastern male and female with their ten kits, exhibited by J. L. Stoddart."

The first Alberta Provincial Show on record was a fox and mink pelt show which was intended to be an annual event but only appeared once in the period we are recording. The report in the February 1939 issue of the Fur Trade Journal is quite interesting: "Alberta's first annual Fur Pelt Show was held December 13th to 16th in the Hudson's Bay Company's new store, Jasper Avenue, Edmonton. The attendance and interest were excellent; there being over nine hundred paid admissions of which one-half was given to charity.

"The mink section drew many interested visitors and while there was a representative display there was room for more entries. However, this section was one that certainly enjoyed popularity, if the crowds lingering around them were any evidence, and we know already that two to three times this year's space will have to be allotted to them next year, and more classes provided.

"In all, there were about two hundred and twenty-five mink exhibited and made a very creditable showing. In each class, the honours were well shared. The judges spent considerable time as the competition here again was very keen. The judge of the show was Mr G. W. Harris, Winnipeg, assisted by Mr Fred Swartz, and Mr C. W. MacDonald, Edmonton.

Two years later a live animal show was held in Edmonton and this report appeared in the December 1940, issue of the Canadian Silver Fox and Fur:

"A successful live fur animal show was held in Edmonton on October 30th and 31st, under the auspices of the Alberta Fur Breeders' Association. This is the first show of its kind ever held in Northern Alberta and one hundred and thirty-three foxes and one hundred and fifty-nine mink from all parts of the province were exhibited. Marten and Nutria were also added attractions. W. C. McDonald and J. Keith judged the mink. An admission fee of ten cents was charged for the public visiting, which netted a neat sum for the Edmonton Spitfire fund.