Jim Barber is a familiar face at Canadian Western Agribition, even though he lives thousands of kilometres away near Manchester, England.
He’s been attending the show since 1989.
“I’ve bought animals here and taken them back, and bought embryos and semen,” he said.
“I’ve also exported animals and semen and embryos this way.”
Barber has also been bringing 4-H members to compete in the international judging competition.
Last week, he was recognized with the Jim Lewthwaite Memorial Award for his promotion of the show internationally.
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“I’ve judged cattle all over — Australia, Belgium — but for me, this is the best of the best,” Barber said.
He has made lifelong friendships at Agribition and said he appreciates how everyone talks to each other and shares information.
Over the years, he has seen Canadian genetics go one way and then another. He has been viewed as a pioneer back home for taking those genetics back to England.
“I’ve always been one to play and experiment and see if I can improve things,” he said. “Cattle are my life. I love them. They’re both my hobby and my living.”
He had Belgian Blues, Simmentals, Holsteins, Friesians and Brown Swiss cattle while actively farming. Now retired, he still works in the industry doing ultrasounds, inspections at point of sale and classification programs.
In addition to his individual award, Barber was thrilled last week with the performance of his 4-H team, which placed second in the judging competition, their best result ever.
Barber said he was emotional about the result.
“It’s a bit difficult for them because what the judges wanted here is slightly different than home, but obviously the youngsters had described what they wanted and why they did what they did, and pulled the points back that way,” he said. “I’m full of admiration for my team.”
The competition included judging horses and pigs, which the British participants had never done.
“First and foremost, mobility has got to be essential to any animal,” Barber said of what judges are looking for in the competition.
“Structural correctness is essential for any animal. Animals are animals, and if you put your basic rules to other species, you’ll get by.”
He said the British industry would never want cattle with the fat cover seen in Canada.
“We’d want cattle with longer legs, maybe a bit less middle. Our commercial world demands that.”
The Jim Lewthwaite award recognizes those who work to enhance Agribition’s international profile and presence. Lewthwaite was one of the founders of the show.
