Birth Date: 9 Sep 1907

Death Date: 12 Apr 1992

Burial Place: Fulton Stone United Church Cemetery

Spouse: Florence (Flossy ) Evelyn Young

Birth Date: 1878

Death Date: 1942

Burial Place: Fulton Stone United Church Cemetery

Spouse Notes:

Was killed in a head on collision about a 1/4 mile from home

Other Spouse: Kathleen Evans Orwell

Death Date: 12 Jul 1974

Death Place: Harrisburg, PA

Burial Place: Fulton Church Cemetery

Spouse Father: Evans

Spouse Notes:

Other Spouse: May Caroline Moss

Death Date: 19 Nov 1999

Death Place: Greater Niagara General Hospital

Burial Date: 22 Nov 1999

Burial Place: Fairview Cemetery

Notes:

From Niagara Farmers' Monthly -August 1989

71-Year Veteran Sheep Exhibitor

"If you don't show…you don't sell", says Cy Lowden.

That's why sheep breeders have been showing their animals at fairs throughout North America for years. It's an excellent means of promoting one's flock to perspective buyers.

And when it comes to showing sheep, there isn't anyone more experienced than Cy Lowden. Mr. Lowden first exhibited at the CNE when he was eleven years old in 1918 with Cecil Springstead as his guide.

"In those days every little town had a fair, Abingdon, Smithville, Wellandport, Fonthill", he remembers. "We travelled the circuit of small fairs using a horse and wagon with steel tires." Leaving on a Monday or Tuesday, they'd be gone all week travelling to shows as far as Oakville.

The wagon, with a sixteen foot sheep rack carried fourteen sheep "It was considered a big machine at the time," confirms Mr. Lowden. It's still sitting in his son's barn on highway 20 west of Smithville.

Seventy-five, fifty and twenty-five cents was the prize money offered for the top placings at these small fairs in the 1920's. "You were doing well if you mad $10 -$12 dollars at a fair." Says Cy Lowden. "A $1 was considered a big prize then."

Today first prize would be about $30 at the average fair in southern Ontario. But the costs are greater than the prize money.

Even with a top prize of $80 at the CNE, there's "no money in it," he says. Sheep exhibitors are required to remain at the Exhibition for six days, adding to the expenses.

Mr. Lowden enjoys showing sheep at the fairs and finds it very interesting. "But if it wasn't for the advertisement, it would be dead." He emphasizes.

"At one time you would go to a fair and sell the odd sheep, now you go to a fair and no one even asks you what their worth," continues Mr. Lowden.

However, the first prize ribbon still does mean something when you go to sell," he continues A ram lamb, shown by Mr. Lowden which placed first last year at the CNE, sold to Columbia for $1,000.00

The average breeding ram is worth around $500 in today's market. Export sales, through such sales managers as Hays Farms, bring the best money. When Cy Lowden first started exhibiting, $20 was a good price.

Most of the work done to prepare the sheep for the show is completed at home. They must be washed, sheared, clipped and trimmed.

Shearing must be done at just the right time, in order to have just the right amount of wool on the animal. "Years ago the more wool the better," explains the longtime exhibitor. "It made the lamb look bigger." You might leave up to four inches on the lamb. "Nobody wants more than one inch and half an inch is better in the ring today." he says.

It takes about four hours to do the delicate and fine work of trimming feet on each animal. Then they must be trained so they'll stand while the showman Can handle them, without jumping all over.

Mr. Lowden, a qualified judge himself, considers placings to be made 60% on the animal and 40% on the showman's ability. "The difference in a showman, can make a difference in the placing. Let your animal get out of line once and you're down a placing," he says.

Most judges handle the sheep a lot, because the wool can be camouflaged. "If you don't handle them, you can be misled easily," he adds.

Final placings are made on breed type, conformation, size and quality of wool. Although the wool is not as important as it used to be. "Wool is not worth much in this country," explains Mr. Lowden.

Over the years Cy Lowden has judged at shows in Ontario, Quebec, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine, Illinois and Indiana.

Sheep exhibitors are limited to showing six animals in each breed at the fairs presently. At one time there were 10 different classes, and you could show three ina class, explains the experienced showman and judge.

There were classes for Oxfords, Southdowns, Suffolks, Dorset Horns, Hampshires, Leicesters, Lincolns and Cotswolds. Today's section might include Leicesters, Suffolks, Dorsets, Southdowns, Hampshires and Oxfords. The rest are shown together under one class A.O.V. (any other variety).

In 1988 Mr. Lowden received a special award from the CNE recognizing his many years as an exhibitor. He has been an exhibitor for sixty-eight years, hasn't missed a show since 1921, and plans on being there this August.

The remarkable eighty-two year old man isn't slowing down. He works six days a week for his son Fred. "I'm his shepherd boy." he jokes. And he doesn't miss any of the major shows.

He prepared, trucked and showed six Hampshire sheep, owned by Fred and Carol Lowden, at Sheep Focus '89 in Lindsay during July.

Mr. Lowden has seen fairs from both sides. Not only has he been an exhibitor at many fairs, but he has been very active in the local Smithville Fair since 1941. He is still actively involved in the fair today on the Sheep Committee. He was president of the fair, with Martin Taylor as his secretary.

The two-day Smithville Fair was held in October at that time. "It used to rain about every other year," remembers Cy Lowden. "The track was clay and made a real mess."

The fair dates have been moved ahead to the Labour day weekend, but the rain seems to have followed them too.

"There was more livestock then," says Mr. Lowden. "Definitely more cattle and a lot of horses from all over. A lot of local people showed horses then.:

In those days the exhibitors were the show. "Lots of horse races and the horse show was the big drawing Card," says Cy Lowden. "And things were dead by dusk."

"Smithville Fair offers so much more entertainment for the public now," he continues. "there's something going on all the time.:

The fair directors are busy year round in the '80s, with two of more meetings a month all summer. "When I was president we had three meetings before the fair and one after, plus the annual meeting. Things were pretty dead all summer, till just prior to the fair".

Admission price has increased from 25 cents to $3.00. but it's still worth the money.

"The Smithville Fair is the showCase of the district," says Mr. Lowden. "but a lot of our cattle breeders, sheep breeders and horsemen don't value it as much as we used to years ago."

"Years ago everybody that had a mare and colt would walk 5 to 6 miles to show them at the fall fair." he recalls.

It 's hard for fairs these days without the support of the local people says Mr. Lowden. "Nearly fifty percent of the exhibitors in most of the classes in the hall at the fair go from one fair to another."