RED DEER, Alta. – The Canadian dairy industry continued to showcase its strong position in the livestock world Oct. 31 with one of its largest ever showings of prime Jersey and Holstein cattle.
The Westerner Dairy Showcase, held each October in Red Deer, has become a pit stop between the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin and the Toronto Royal Winter Fair in mid November.
This year’s event was probably the largest ever, said Don Chalack, one of the event organizers.
There were 210 Holsteins and 40 Jersey females from all four western provinces. Some classes had more than 20 entrants with a wide variety of cow types from a large number of exhibitors.
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“What really gives us an advantage is people want to come here to see if their cattle are good enough for the Royal,” Chalack said.
The Westerner show started as a spring event about 50 years ago at the downtown Red Deer fair grounds. Once the Westerner Park was developed, the show became a major fall dairy event for Western Canada.
The grand champion Jersey was entered by Unique Stock Farm of Rochester, Alta. The intermediate champion went on to be named reserve Jersey champion from Bramville Jerseys of Nokomis, Sask.
The senior and grand champion Holstein was from Morsan Farms of Ponoka, Alta. The farm had 14 animals in the show and plans to take many of the same females to the Royal.
The reserve grand champion Holstein was from Chilliwack Cattle Co. of Chilliwack, B.C., and R&F Livestock and Cattle Co. of Warman, Sask.
Lone Pine Jerseys of Didsbury, Alta., was named premier breeder and
exhibitor.
Skycrest Holsteins of Athabasca, Alta, were named premier Holstein breeders and Chilliwack Cattle Co., and R&F Livestock and Cattle Co. were premier Holstein exhibitors.
At the World Dairy Expo held in early October in Madison, seven Canadian provinces were represented, showing 355 head. Visitors from 91 countries and 912 exhibitors were able to see seven dairy breeds.
At that event, a Canadian animal headlined the Top of the World Jersey sale where the highest lot went for $6,100 US for Rapid Bay Shyster Rachel, consigned by Rapid Bay Jerseys of Ormstown, Que., and purchased by Mt. Elgin Dairy Farm of Guelph, Ont.
