After one pandemic cancellation and a scaled-down version last year, Farmfair International is back up to speed and has new events on tap, says the show’s director.
“This year, after what we’ve come through with COVID, and Farmfair having taken a hiatus, (it) has provided us with an opportunity to add some new components to the show and start to build out what the next 10 years will look like,” said Leah Jones.
The event, which runs Nov. 9-12, has been one of Canada’s top agriculture shows and Alberta’s largest beef cattle show for nearly half a century. Exhibitors from across Western Canada gather to showcase their livestock genetics to purebred producers, ranchers and international buyers.
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This year will feature the largest number of cattle exhibitors in years, more than 1,300, but there will also be a new way to showcase some top entries.
It’s called Ultimate Legends, and it uses a format more often seen in pro sports. In the event, two animals enter the ring at a time and are judged, with the winner advancing to the next round until a champion is determined– or actually two, a bull and a heifer calf.
This year’s bull pen show also has a strong number of entries, said Jones.
“This is something our commercial cattleman out there who buy bulls from these purebred folks and neighbours will want to come and check out because these are some of the best bulls they’ll see in Canada and North America right here in their back yard.”
The Farmfair Supreme Show is world renowned. It features the best genetics in North America, if not the world, said Jones, as well as a light show with music.
“There are some awfully big cheques being awarded,” she said. “Last year our stands were jam packed, and that show was smaller than this year.”
A large international contingent attends specifically to examine cattle genetics.
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Youth in farming will also be featured. Farmfair has partnered with the University of Alberta Ag Club to host a collegiate judging competition. The event isn’t new, but this year it’s larger. Agriculture colleges, universities and 4-H members can enter.
Farmfair has partnered with Alberta 4-H and Careers, an industry led non-profit focused on helping youth develop career paths, for an event called Discover Your Future.
“We are inviting employers in the ag industry to join us, along with Alberta’s youth, to help discover career paths in agriculture,” said Jones. “The industry is looking for that skill set and it’s so hard to find, especially right now.”
Organizers hope many non-farming residents will also attend the event and learn about farming. It’s more than just “sitting on a tractor driving around fields all day,” said Jones.
“If you want to talk about technology, and advancements in technology, welcome to the ag world,” she said. “There are so many things happening in the ag world around research, genetics, equipment and drones. It’s so exciting.
“If anyone is interested, they can have a wonderful career in agriculture that takes them around the globe.”
Interested youth can register for the day-long session, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 12. Details are posted at farmfairinternational.com. Click on the Events tab and follow the links.
Jones took on the director job a year ago but has been involved with Farmfair for decades as a volunteer, director and through her career in agriculture and with 4-H. In the early days, the event was more of a gathering for agriculture, where anyone could bring their best animals to town for competition and judging. The ultimate prize, which helped with marketing, was a grand champion banner.
“We are reimagining what Farmfair can be, not only just for our Edmonton Expo Centre and the location, but for the city of Edmonton and the Edmonton region. It’s given us an opportunity to really put them on the map not just locally but internationally.”
Farmfair is also about socializing, added Jones.
“This is such a wonderful event to catch up with people who you don’t see except for when you come here,” she said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to come to the city in the fall after harvest is wrapped up and buy Christmas gifts and get our new vehicles – all those things that we need to do.”
The event will close with another new feature, a wrap-up concert featuring Sawyer Brown, Lone Star, Doc Walker and George Canyon.
