In 1904, Sam Copithorne moved to the area that we now know as Springbank, from Ireland to work alongside his two older brothers, Richard and John. Arriving in 1883, John Copithorne had come to Canada and freighted supplies to the Morley Indians to the West. His brother Richard joined him in 1887 and later settled in the Jumping Pound region, 15 miles West of the Calgary city limit that stands today. The sprawling landscape and mountain valley hills reminded them of the Irish homestead they left behind and it is here that the Copithorne homestead was founded.
Fast forward to 1939 when Jim and Irene (Copithorne) Robinson, daughter of Sam Copithorne settled Val Vista Ranch, where their well-maintained home still stands – just west and “down the hill” from RiverCross Ranch. Val Vista Ranch continues to be active working cattle ranch, where the Robinson family proudly carries on the farming/ranching tradition that has been in the family since the late 1800’s.