EDMONTON – The pens of purebred cattle looked out of place among the almost empty Sportex building. In half of the building were a row of alpacas, a petting zoo, pony rides and a few pots and pans and farm toy displays.
Being one of only two cattle producers among the pots and pans, tractors and ladders didn’t discourage Wendy Schneider, who has used Northland’s Farm and Ranch show to show her cattle for five years.
Renting part of the facility during the spring farm show is a good way to show their family’s cattle to thousands of commercial producers, said Schneider who used to sell her animals by auction.
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“When you’re holding an auction there’s only a few seconds to make a very big purchase,” said Schneider, who expected to sell about half the 30 heifers and bulls she had brought to the four-day sale.
The rest of the animals will likely be sold when they get back to their Ardrossan, Alta., farm to people who saw the animals at the show.
“It’s quiet. There’s no pressure,” said Schneider, who said selling her animals at this show and at the farm gives her more control over the price. “We can keep the prices lower and have fewer expenses and get the same price,” said Schneider, agriculture director on Northland’s board of directors.
It was the Schneider’s success that convinced Ron and Rose Hoyda of Stony Plain, Alta., to show their animals at the spring sales.
So far, it’s been good. After the second day they’d sold four bulls and have seen interest displayed in the others.
Hoyda used to sell his bulls at special Limousin sales but didn’t like the impersonal aspect of the auction.
“It’s a good chance to meet farmers one on one,” said Hoyda, who would like to see more people bring their cattle to the Sportex building.
“They should have more breeds to draw more people,” said Hoyda. He is already planning for his second visit next year.
