Sylvan Lake’s most popular local celebrity is not a human—he’s a steer. Magnum is a 2,500-pound Holstein, and lately, he’s been seen strutting around town.
He’s a cow that’s full of surprises. Unlike most Holsteins, he’s still got his horns. He’s a gentle giant who comes when you call his name.
Magnum also thinks he’s a horse. He lets his owner, Kelly Landry, put a saddle on him and ride him.
This past weekend, Landry and her cow were recently spotted at Sylvan’s Christmas parade.
Landry was dressed as the Grinch, and Magnum played the role of the Grinch’s faithful dog, Max. He was decked out with garland and lights.
Landry, confident in her saddle, looked like the Grinch. Her smile, though, showed off her true feelings. And how could she be grumpy – she was riding her pet cow!
Magnum hasn’t always been in Sylvan Lake. He immigrated here from Quebec this summer. Just like here in Alberta, he rode in dozens of parades all across Quebec, bringing dairy good vibes wherever he went.
Since he’s been in Alberta, he’s made himself right at home.
Magnum likes to get out on the town. You can often see him wandering through the Tim Hortons drive-through. A true Canadian, Timbits is his favourite thing on the menu. Magnum shares his love of Timmy’s with High River’s drive-through horse, providing municipalities with traffic bylaw challenges.
From Beef to Best Friend
Landry spoke to CBC News about how their relationship grew. She originally bought him eight years ago with plans to turn him into ground beef for her dinners. He had other ideas. “He would come to see me and ‘moo’ at me. He would run around the barn and call for me,” Landry said.
He was just too friendly to end up on a plate ith vegetables.
Instead of dining on the bovid, Landry decided to put a saddle on him. At first, he bucked her off. Landry was persistent, though, and after a couple of tries, Magnum accepted.
Now, he’s a regular at parades and out on the streets of Sylvan Lake.
Mastering the Art of Cows
Magnum is undoubtedly an extraordinary cow.
But it takes two to tango. Landry says that she’s had a way with animals since she was young, riding horses.
She has a sixth sense for understanding what an animal wants.
She did say that riding a Holstein was a learning curve. Cows don’t move as gracefully as horses, so there’s a lot more jolting around when she’s riding Magnum.
She told La Terre that while horses move more up and down, cows move more side to side. It takes extra leg strength to stay upright on a cow because the movement of their hips constantly tries to throw her off.
Cows also get bored faster than horses. Landry had to be more creative when she was taming Magnum. She couldn’t get him to do the same movements repeatedly because he’d just refuse.
He’s also less into exercise for exercise’s sake, and he’ll only trot if he knows he’s close to home or snacks are coming.
However, she managed to break Magnum in for Sylvan Lake’s benefit!
So next time you’re in Sylvan Lake, remember that the Tim Horton’s there is not “dairy-free.”
