About the People
steve Gibson was born in New Zealand and grew up there on a dairy farm. He emigrated to Canada at age 21 and worked on cattle ranches in B.C. and Alberta, culminating in a running a successful 350 cow/calf ranch at Rocky Mountain House. Joan was raised in the Okanagan and married Steve 15 years ago. Besides each other, they share a passion for horses and ranching. They are active Cutting Horse trainers and competitors. They raise and train stock dogs. They are coming to us after spending the last 10 years in Australia where they ran successful cow/calf "Stations" as well as purebred Angus seedstock and most recently a Wagu cattle operation shipping "Kobe" beef to Japan. Although they have no children of their own, they enjoy extended family and friends and their pets. Joan also has extensive experience working with special needs children in the School system. Steve and Joan are joined with cowboys and farm helpers on the ranch as required.
Wayne and Ava Fipke bought the ranch in 2004. Although he is semi-retired Wayne is passionately involved in the development of the purebred black angus herd. Ava has a green thumb and currently runs a small perennial plant business, Eldorado Gardens. They have 4 adult children: Ace, Leila, Johanna and Beau, as well as 4 grandchildren and one great grandson.
Wayne grew up on a small farm near Kelowna and has always wanted to get back to the land. He got his Bachelors and Masters degrees at U.B.C. and did post graduate studies in Administration at Harvard. He put himself through university by working in sawmills, as a carpenter, as an aerial photographer and as a tutor for Investment Dealers getting licences. Wayne served as Director of Financial Programs for Alberta Culture for 3 years, followed by 11 years at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre as General Manager, producer and Artistic Director of the Children's and Teen Festival. As a Producer he initiated 4 productions transfers to Broadway and one to London's West End as well as extensive touring productions. After leaving the Citadel in 1988, Wayne worked briefly as a Convention Centre Manager in Visalia, California before joining his brother Chuck as President of Dia Met Minerals in Kelowna. For 5 years Wayne initiated the staking and joint venture development of Canada's first diamond mine, the Ektai in the N.W.T. After getting the company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, he retired in 1993. He and Ava then designed and built estates in Kelowna, Big White and at Buck Lake Ranch.
David Lyons and his family have been non-operating joint owners since 2007. They are Canadians now living primarily near London, England with their two boys, Jamie, 17 and John, 15. An adult daughter, Brittany,works in London. David was raised in Calgary and had some great times ranching as a young man. He remains as an Executive in the oil business but his substantial successes have enabled him to have time to enjoy flying his planes and captaining his boats in expeditions and adventures. The Lyons have built a log home on the ranch, dubbed BUCK LAKE LODGE, and are using it as a second residence and a recreation centre to enjoy horseback riding, quading, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking and the myriad of activities the ranch offers.
David remains active in the oil and gas business. You can check out his companies at www.orcaexploration.com and www.quadragroup.vg
From left clockwise, John, Brittany, David, Jamie and Susan Lyons
