Holstein steers through Tim Hortons drive-thru, turns heads in Alberta town
Magnum was bought for beef but soon became a beloved celebrity bovine
Why did the cow cross the road? In the central Alberta community of Sylvan Lake, at least one bovine appears happy to hit the streets in exchange for a sweet bite of Timbits from Tim Hortons.
No bull.
His name is Magnum and the sweet-toothed steer has become an increasingly common sight in the central Alberta town.
The horned Holstein recently turned heads at the local Tim Hortons drive-thru, trotting up to the menu screen and gently tapping the order button with his nose.
Video shows Magnum ambling up to the pick-up window before accepting a box of bite-sized doughnuts, much to the delight of the servers inside.
Riding high in a modified brown leather barrel-horse saddle is Kelly Landry, who owns the gentle giant.
"I like to go to Tim Hortons. Many people do it with horses but that's too common," said Landry with a chuckle.
"It's just to have some social time and people love to see it."
Watch | Steer visits Alberta drive-thru:
Landry, 28, said she always likes seeing Magnum getting some love from the public while enjoying a special treat out on the town.
And all those sweets must be adding up. She said Magnum has recently packed on some extra weight and is now more than 2,500 pounds.
"It's not too far [from home] and I know he loves Timbits," she said. "Animals love sugar."
The black and white beast also made a recent pit stop at the local Canadian Tire auto service centre and has been spotted riding through local neighbourhoods.
Photos and videos from curious onlookers have set social media abuzz.
He's cow, but with the mentality of a horse and the personality of a dog.- Kelly Landry
Magnum is no stranger to celebrity. For years he's amassed a following on his own Facebook and TikTok pages, where his friends and followers know him as Magnum le boeuf.
And while the sight of rider and steer is new to residents of Sylvan Lake, Magnum was a beloved regular at festivals and parades in his native Quebec.
Landry is hoping he'll win some hearts and become a regular guest at special events in his new hometown.
The pair moved to Sylvan Lake last spring and began hitting the streets.
Landry admits it hasn't always been a smooth ride. The first time she tried to ride Magnum, he bucked her off.
But after a time, tacking Magnum up and taking the reins became part of a regular routine.
Despite his size, he can carry some speed. But Landry says Magnum will only choose to trot when he knows he's close to getting home.
"Cows don't like to work too hard," she said.
Unlikely friends
Landry and her steer share an unusual bond.
She bought him eight years ago with the intention of later harvesting him for meat, but soon grew too attached.
After bringing him home from the farm, she realized he was unusually sweet.
He quickly learned to respond to his name and would follow her around everywhere, even into the house.
"He would come to see me and 'moo' at me," she said. "He would run around the barn and call for me."
She decided to keep him as a companion and try to train him like a horse.
"I thought he could do as much as a horse, maybe more," she said.
"He was happy and jumping and following me everywhere," she said. "So I decided to continue with him, put a saddle on him and give it a try. And here I am."
She said her beloved animal is not exactly smart. Magnum is a stubborn troublemaker with a mind of his own.
"He doesn't identify as a cow," she said. "He's cow, but with the mentality of a horse and the personality of a dog."
"He does weird stuff. He's kind of stupid," she said with a laugh. "You know, your animal is a reflection of you, so I am stupid and he is stupid."
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With files from Pippa Reed and Eve Côté with Radio-Canada