DENVER, Colo. – The road to Denver for many Canadians meant 24 hour drives in sub zero temperatures on icy roads and triple checking veterinary requirements.
The extra effort was worth it for many who made the lengthy journey to the National Western Stock Show where class and division winners at the Angus and Hereford shows were passed out to the entrants who had not been at the prestigious show since BSE struck in 2003.
A handful of Canadians attended the 2008 show, but a Colorado state veterinary requirement to brand their purebred animals kept many away until this year when that was dropped.
Read Also
The Western Producer Livestock Report – September 25, 2025
The U.S. national live price average for barrows and gilts was $81.21 Sept. 17. It was $78.37 Sept. 9. U.S. hogs averaged $106.71 on a carcass basis Sept. 17, up from $106.10 Sept. 9.
“The rules are easier. They’re not trying to dot every i and cross every t,” said Nancy Biglieni of Douglas, Man.
Before leaving home, she checked with veterinarians on both sides of the border three times to make sure the health certificates were OK. Tests were required for tuberculosis, BVD, trichomoniasis and pregnancy checks for females.
She and husband Bill own WLB Polled Herefords and received third place ribbons for their two prize bulls at the shows Jan. 16-17. One of them, named WLB Shapely 505 40U, was their Canadian Western Agribition champion bull.
The Denver show is a big deal for Hereford breeders because it is the American national show and the competition is strong among the 450 entrants.
“It’s a long-term promotion plan,” she said.
Karl and Karen Lischka of Steelman, Sask., brought one bull and three heifers from their 250 Hereford cow herd. They won a second place spring heifer calf prize.
The family always attended the show but when the border opened to breeding stock in 2007, they balked at the branding requirement.
This year they only needed to add the CAN tattoo in the ear of their entrants, said Karl.
He was glad to come back to the American show but the border opening had a wider implication for him.
“Our biggest market is the States,” he said. Their farm is 25 kilometres from the U.S. border.
“We have a female production sale every fall and Americans didn’t stop buying. They just left them,” he said.
He was boarding 75 head of American-owned cattle that were purchased before BSE in Canada closed the border to trade.
Some were bought by those speculating the suspension would be lifted sooner. Some cows were bred again and had calves at side when they were finally exported.
It was a 1,550 km drive over icy roads for Murray Andrews of Moose Jaw. He was entering heifers as well as his Horned Hereford Agribition bull champion, which was sired by his 2003 supreme champion. The bull, Triple-A Max’s Turbo ET 1T, was named reserve champion horned yearling bull in Denver.
Andrews said attention received at Denver is good advertising for his program.
“As far as marketing, it’s a good venue. There’s all kinds of fish in this tank,” he said. “It’s more for promotion of the cattle and meeting the people.”
The decision to enter had to be made by Nov. 20 and since health requirements were eased, it was simpler to send in the entry forms and fees.
“We were a bit shy about last year, but this year we decided we had better (come),” he said.
Andrews has been invited to judge the Hereford show at Fort Worth, Texas, where the competition will be even stiffer. Winners of first and second place animals from Denver enter that show, so the quality of all animals will be a greater challenge to place.
Other Canadian Hereford breeders made their mark in Denver.
Duncan Lees of Arcola, Sask., had a second place heifer calf.
Besides receiving a number of first and second place class ribbons with his heifers and bulls, Grant Hirsche of High River, Alta., also showed the reserve champion horned spring bull calf.
Another prominent showman was Ian Harvie of Olds, Alta., who also won various classes and the reserve champion polled spring bull calf banner.
In the Angus show, Cottage Creek Angus of Innisfail, Alta., was a partner in the reserve grand champion bull owned with William Wilson of Cloverdale, Indiana.
Shane Cadieux of Shaunavon, Sask., won first in a bull calf class and Dennis Serhienko of Maymont, Sask., received a second.
At the Red Angus show, Howard Schneider of Ardrossan, Alta., won reserve senior bull and reserve spring heifer calf champions.
Clayton and Corrine Gibson of Six Mile Angus at Fir Mountain, Sask., won a first for a yearling bull calf and a second place in a yearling heifer class.
Roger Hardy of Soo Line Angus of Midale, Sask., won firsts in the February heifer calf class and in the yearling bull class.
Kevin and Darren Blair of Lanigan, Sask., won a first place bull category and two second place heifer classes.
