From athletes to officials, Canada’s ag sector will be represented in Italy
During the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy, about 3,000 athletes from 90 countries will test their mettle against one another in the quest for gold medals.
In Canada’s case, multiple athletes and representatives have connections to agriculture.
With that at top of mind, here are some people to watch during the games with ties to Canada’s ag industry.
Melissa Lotholz grew up on her family farm in Barrhead, Alta., and is representing Canada in her third Olympics in bobsleigh events.
Not only is the farm where Melissa got her start, it also served as a training ground.
During COVID she moved back in and used the environment around her to keep in shape.
“The farm was my personal Olympic training centre,” she told Farms.com in January. “I was flipping tires and pushing quads. I’m actually going back to the farm after these Olympics.”
Another Canadian at the Olympics with a Prairie ag background is Alex Clarke.
A farmer from Griffin, Sask., and relationship manager with Farm Credit Canada, Clarke will be on the ice as a hockey official with the International Ice Hockey Federation.
“My love for the game is what inspires me to get out there,” Clarke said in an April 2024 piece for Hockey Canada. “It's a place where I get to go and forget about everything else that’s going on. I get to have fun. I get to be with friends.”
Representing Ontario agriculture during the Winter Olympics is Ella Shelton.
On Jan. 9, she was named to the women’s national hockey team.
In December 2025 she spoke with Better Farming about life on the farm and how it translates to hockey.
“Growing up, the work ethic on the farm shaped my focus and resilience in hockey. The values of hard work and commitment are the same, whether you’re in a combine or on skates,” she said.
Also representing Ontario ag at the Games is Valérie Grenier.
Competing in alpine skiing, Grenier grew up on her family’s multigenerational poultry and egg farm in St. Isidore, Ont.
“I think the best thing about growing up and working on an egg farm was getting to work with my family and seeing what true hard work is,” she said in 2023. “I think it really shaped me as an athlete."
More Olympic athlete connections to ag can be found here.