Farmers are tough like football players says former Rider

Saskatchewan farmers are tough like professional football players, and demonstrate leadership skills in the same way, former Roughrider Luc Mullinder told an audience of producers and business owners at the Weyburn Chamber’s Ag Appreciation Night on Nov. 7.

Currently the vice-president of the Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan, he played for nine years in the CFL, eight of those years as a defensive lineman with the Riders, including as a member of the Grey Cup team of 2007.

He was the guest speaker for the Ag Appreciation banquet at McKenna Hall, and passed on his take on leadership styles, encouraging farmers to make sure they adopt the style that suits them best as they lead in the agricultural community.

Telling producers he has a tremendous amount of respect for them, Mullinder said, “The Golden Sheaf Award is really cool. There’s no other industry that aligns with pro football like ag does. They require similar characteristics, and you have to be tough s.o.b.’s – but I’m preaching to the choir here,” he said.

Noting he’s friends with farmer Mark Overbye of the Lake Alma area, he told about how the farmer had fallen off a ladder and shattered his shins, and army-crawled all the way to the house to call for help.

“The only thing he was worried about was who was going to care for the farm the next day,” said Mullinder. “You guys are another level of toughness … I don’t think I have the stamina to handle what you guys handle.”